AMA Opposes Labeling Obesity a Disability

The American Medical Association decided Tuesday to formally oppose attempts to define obesity as a disability.

The adoption of the new policy is meant to help doctors who want to discuss obesity with their overweight patients, the Associated Press reported. If obesity is defined as a disability, it's feared that doctors may be vulnerable under disability laws to lawsuits from obese patients who don't want to hear about their weight from doctors.

The new policy was passed at the AMA's annual meeting in Chicago.

Also on Tuesday, the group voted to lobby for legislation to ban pharmacies from selling tobacco products, the AP said.

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• Obesity
• Weight Loss