Docyard | tuck in the stomach

Morbid obesity is a serious health condition that results from a change in lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical exercise, medical conditions like hypothyroid and even certain genes are can be the reason for obesity. It can interfere with basic physical functions such as breathing or walking. Those who are morbidly obese are at greater risk for illnesses including diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gallstones, osteoarthritis, heart disease, and cancer.

India saw a more significant rise in obesity from its 19th position for both men and women in 1975 to rankings 5th and 3rd respectively in 2014, reflecting increasing obesity rates among women worldwide. India’s women are more likely to be obese than their male counterparts, there were 20 million obese women in India in 2014 compared with 9.8 million obese men. While people in India have been trying to use different methods to get rid of their excess weight like exercise, yoga, dieting and so bariatric surgery is one such process.

What is Bariatric surgeryIJ

It is a variety of procedures performed on people suffering from obesity. Many times, physical exercise and dieting fail due to different medical or non-medical reasons. Sometimes patients weighs very much which makes it difficult to get into shape, Bariatric surgery is ideal solution for those people. Evidence says it lowers death rate for severely obese patients. The basic principle of bariatric surgery is to restrict food intake and decrease absorption of food in the stomach and intestines. A reduction in the amount of nutrients and calories absorbed enables patients to lose weight and decrease their risk for obesity-related health risks or disorders.

When does one need itIJ

In case your BMI is 40 or higher and you have a serious weight problems or your BMI is 35 or more and at least one or more obesity-related co-morbidities such as type II diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea or heart ailment, go for bariatric surgery.

How does it workIJ

Bariatric surgery work by changing the anatomy of your gastrointestinal tract (stomach and digestive system) or by causing different physiology changes in your body that change your energy balance and fat metabolism. Weight loss is achieved by reducing the size of the stomach.

Advantages

• Produces significant long-term weight loss, which is almost 60 to 80 percent excess weight loss.
• Restricts the amount of food that can be consumed.
• Produces favourable changes in gut hormones that reduce appetite and enhance satiety.
• Increases energy expenditure
• Reduces cancer risk in morbidly obese patients
• Improved self-esteem and quality of life.
• Improvement in fertility pregnancy complications.
• longer span life.

Disadvantages

• Technically more complex operation than the AGB .Generally has a longer hospital stay than the ABG.
• Potentially may result in greater complication rates.
• Requires adherence to dietary recommendations, lifelong vitamin/mineral supplementation, and follow-up compliance.
• May lead to a long-term vitamin/mineral deficiencies, particularly deficits in vitamin B12, iron and calcium.

The Writer is Dr Vikrant Sharma Consultant Bariatric Surgeon Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute