Great story on Medicexchange on protests against the use of facilities to treat horses also used to treat obese people (edited version below):

“Rio de Janeiro hospitals have been sending obese people to share medical test equipment with horses at the local race track, drawing complaints from activists who say the practice is humiliating.

“When people weigh more than the standard equipment can support they have to be directed to the Jockey Club, which is the only place in Rio where they have the appropriate equipment,” a spokeswoman for the Rio state health secretariat said on Wednesday.

“Rosimere Lima da Silva, head of the Group for Salvaging Self-Esteem and Citizenship of the Obese (Graco), said many patients feel embarrassed to go there.

“The obese patients already suffer from a lot of prejudice and having to be treated where animals are is not helping their self-esteem. Many simply refuse to go,” she said.”

Below: the Sao Paul Jockey club race track at night – well worth a visit .

Photo by Stuart Glendinning Hall