RIDGELAND, Miss — Janae Usner recalled how her former primary care doctor bullied her for her weight.

“She was implying, essentially, that I was letting my child down, probably because if I’m obese, he’ll probably be obese,” said Usner, 40, who is from Metairie, Louisiana.

She also described how the doctor looked through her Apple Watch “to see if she could find a pedometer that would let her know how many steps I had made the day before.”

This was about a year and a half ago, and the experience made her so uncomfortable she switched doctors.

“I know I need to manage my weight better,” Usner said, “but bullying and shame is definitely not the way I want to be motivated.”

The Florida-based nonprofit organization Obesity Action Coalition promotes a different approach to obesity. Its You

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