shoddy body disease

A slang term for Munchausen's syndrome. Shoddy body disease is typically used when the speaker wishes to imply that the person in question is of a lower class. The sufferer need not be clinically diagnosed—shoddy body disease is more an insult than clinical reference.

Note that, as with Munchausen's syndrome by proxy, "shoddy body disease by proxy" is the term referring to the form of the disease in which mothers use their childrens' medical conditions for the same purposes.

My grandma's neighbor has all these made-up diseases and says her kids can only eat grains and meats. She totally has shoddy body disease." "This girl on my message board has a brain injury and back injury but mucks out stables. And her daughter has a fever of 102 every other day, and double sinus and ear infections constantly. Shoddy body disease by proxy is scary!