Obesity is one of the major problems the world is facing in terms of health. Unhealthy lifestyle changes have led to increase in child and adult obesity leading to a further list of serious diseases which are often life threatening. By 2025, India will have over 17 million obese children and stand second among 184 countries where the number of obese children is concerned. Obesity is posing a serious threat to people’s health all over the world.
What is obesity?
When a person’s body weight is 20% higher than ideal body weight of a person according to age, sex and height, he or she is said to be obese. A person having Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 30 is considered as obese or overweight. Body Mass Index is calculated using a person’s height and weight and is used to measure whether a person is underweight or overweight.
What are the health effects of obesity?
Obesity has huge effects on a person’s health and most of the deaths in the US result from conditions resulting from obesity. Some of the effects are:-
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea
- Erectile dysfunction
- Lack of sexual drive
- Heart diseases
- Osteoarthritis
- Stroke
- Gall bladder stones
Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery is one of the best considered surgeries recommended for obesity. The term ‘bariatric’ means any procedure that is performed on the intestines to cut down on weight. Bariatric surgery takes into account a series of procedures that help in weight loss.
- Functions
Bariatric surgery medically reduces obesity in two ways:-
- Restriction of food intake- It makes the intestine smaller and thus limits the amount of food you intake. This keeps a count on your calories and does not make you overeat.
- Limits absorption of calories- Since the small intestine is shortened; it reduces the amount of nutrients as well as calories the body absorbs from food.
- Types
Bariatric surgery is of four types-
- Gastric Bypass
Gastric Bypass is a medical procedure where the surgeon limits the amount of area for storage of food in the intestine to a small pouch. This is the area which can hold the amount of food you eat at once. The small intestine is then cut from the main stomach and attached to the pouch. While the main part of the stomach continues to function and produce the digestive juices, the food flows into the intestine from this pouch only. This helps to limit the amount of calories that you eat and that get absorbed in your body.
- Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding
This is a procedure where a band containing a balloon like thing is attached to the upper stomach which creates a pouch with a narrow opening to the other part of the stomach. This procedure too limits the area of the stomach that can hold food. This limits your appetite and makes you feel less hungry. However, it does not limit the absorption of nutrients and calories.
- Sleeve gastrostomy
In this procedure, a part of the stomach is surgically removed from the body. The part remaining in the body is given the shape of a tube to limit the storage of food. Thus appetite is reduced as your stomach cannot hold much food now and also because of shortage of an appetite increasing hormone called ghrelin.
- Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch
Two kinds of surgeries are performed here by the surgeon. The duodenum and the last part of the intestine are attached together while closing off the middle section. However, this middle section is not removed from the body. Instead, it is attached to the last part of the intestine to let the inflow of digestive juices and bile.
one of the best hospitals in Delhi when you consider getting a bariatric surgery. Here you can find state-of-the-art medical facilities that provide the best surgical care and also helps you with post-surgical recovery. Primus Hospital boasts of skilled surgeons who can change your life for the best and let you live a healthier life.
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