In my opinion those types of comments, if true, totally change the situation. While I have no problem with a doctor being blunt in describing the health conditions an obese patient might be facing, making comments like those quoted in the article are not acceptable.
Many many people have a very difficult time managing ctheir weight. I think doctors need to take this issue seriously, but compassionately....otherwise overweight people will simply stop going to the doctor all together. No one wants to be harassed/humiliated over something they already know to be true. They know they're fat. There is a difference between telling someone you're obese and you're gonna die and saying something like, I see you're having trouble managing your weight. Let's talk about it and see what we can come up with to help you. Being supportive and encouraging gets alot more done than being a jerk.