Medications, diet and exercise can be helpful in losing weight, but surgery is the best option to treat obesity in the long term
By Dr Ravindran Kumeran
In the 1950s, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (US) developed height and weight tables which listed “normal” weight ranges for height and body type. People who fell within the “normal ranges” statistically had longer lives and fewer problems with their health. When obesity is so severe that it threatens one’s health and affects the lifespan of an individual, then it is morbid or severe obesity. For some people, it’s a matter of life and death.
Surgery
Surgery has proven to be the most effective method to treat severe obesity. According to the National Institute of Health (US), for the patients who have been unsuccessful in losing weight using medical treatments such as diet, exercise and medications, surgery is the treatment of choice and the only treatment that has been proven to be successful in the long term.
Different types of surgery
The term bariatric surgery encompasses more than 60 different surgical procedures meant for weight loss. Bariatric surgery as a treatment option for obesity is considered only when the BMI is above 33, especially if he or she is suffering from complications of obesity.
Malabsorptive
A large percentage of the small intestine is “bypassed” leading to poor absorption of the food which is eaten, especially fats. Food passes through the body without being digested.
Advantages of laparoscopy
Five to six small incisions are made to allow the surgeon to place a camera and instruments into the abdomen to complete the surgical procedure. The benefits of using these small incisions are:
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