In a move aimed at reducing anxiety and stress on a doctor’s visit, a group called More-Love.org has created “Don’t weigh me” cards.
The group, founded in 2016 by Ginny Jones, describes its mission as empowering “parents to raise kids who are free from body hate, disordered eating, and eating disorders”.
“I myself recovered from an almost lifelong eating disorder. And when I did, being weighed at the doctor’s office was very stressful,” Jones told TODAY. “I knew that, especially among people with a history of eating disorders, being weighed is not a helpful way to begin every medical appointment.”
The cards were designed by Jones in 2019 to give to medical practitioners so that people could discreetly request not to be weighed unless it was a medical necessity. The cards have gone viral on social media several times, making them popular among patients and medical professionals.
“Please don’t weigh me unless it’s (really) medically necessary. If you really need my weight, please tell me why so that I can give you my informed consent,” the front of the card reads.
On the back of the card, it explains why the patient may not want to be weighed, including “most health conditions can be addressed without knowing my weight.”
While the cards were initially free except for postage, the organization stated on its website that it had to begin charging a fee to cover both printing and mailing costs “due to the unexpected demand for these cards.” The cards are available in English, Spanish and French.
For more content like this, sign up for the Pulse newsletter here.
About the Author
