More than 350 million people suffer from Obesity in India. About 30% of US adults qualify as obese. Today, more people are obese than underweight. Obesity is a medical condition defined by the accumulation of excessive fat in the body which could impact the overall health of an individual. It is a serious condition that causes many other health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart disease and sleep apnea. The doctors are now recommending people opt for the option of surgery as it can be very impactful for the treatment of obesity.
Ragui w. Sadek, MD, the chief of Bariatrics at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton says that many misconceptions are circling the idea of a weight loss surgery which needs to be debunked. The number one myth circling the patients is that it is an easier option for lazy people which is not true at all. People think that the decision of surgery is taken by those who do not want to do diet and exercise. Dr. Sadek says that it is a very big misconception and there is more and more research coming into the field of science that indicates that obese people have genetic profiles due to which it becomes tough for them to lose weight with just diet and exercise. Though Diet and exercise are a key part of the surgical program, doing just that usually doesn’t help people with obesity.
People also think that the surgery could turn out fatal. The truth is that there is only a 0.1 percent chance of it turning fatal which is lower than many other surgical procedures. On the other hand, many patients say “I have to be several hundred pounds overweight to consider surgery”, again not true. Dr. Sadek clears the air by telling us the benefits of going for the surgical option even with a 250- to 300-pound range is a viable option. “People think that’s the case because of TV shows like My 600-lb Life,” says Dr. Sadek. “In fact, most of the patients I operate on are in the 250-to-300-pound range. They are surgery candidates because their obesity is causing other health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. After surgery, they see improvement in these conditions and can reduce or eliminate multiple medications.”
Many people feel that surgery should be a last resort but the sooner the decision is made the better, because if a person develops other related health conditions, then he may not be eligible for surgery. The other concern is that weight could be regained after surgery. To this, Dr. Sadek claims, “Research shows that bariatric surgery is the most effective means of achieving long-term weight loss. “The standard for failure of the surgery has been defined as a case in which the patient regains 50 percent or more of their excess body weight post-surgery. However, most patients keep off the majority of the weight they lose.”
According to research, more than 4 million people die due to obesity each year. Hence it is surely something that needs attention. There are many hospitals providing treatments for obesity and more and more are recommending bariatric surgery.
~By Gursharan Kaur Sanhotra