KNOW YOUR WEIGHT

Obesity is now considered as a "killer" lifestyle disease and has become the second leading cause of preventable deaths. It has become a disease that needs as much medical attention as any other health condition.

Obesity has become a widespread health problem across the globe. Severe obesity threatens one’s health and affects lifespan too. It also leads to development of life-threatening complications such as high blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes.

In the Indian scene, even with the growing awareness about health and fitness, more than two per cent of the population is obese. Each year, this number is growing especially in urban areas due to changing lifestyles.
Causative factors

Environmental factors play an important role in the prevalence of this condition. Our increasing dependence on elevators and escalators, long hours at the computer, watching television, consumption of high calorie food sets the ground for the development of obesity.

Obese people develop complex and multi faceted problems such as discrimination at workplace, school and home;

Finding clothing, furniture incapacity in public places, bus, plane and personal hygiene. Depression rates are among the highest in the obese. Health risks like high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, elevated cholesterol, arthritis, sleep apnea, gall stones, stroke, heart attack, are closely associated with obesity and lead to further complications.
Treatment

A simple calculation called Body Mass Index or BMI is used to classify the people as underweight, normal, overweight, obese and morbidly obese. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kg by height in metres squared.

There are two accepted methods to treat obesity: Medical or Surgical. The first involves a diet low in calories, fat and carbohydrates; exercise of 40 minutes five times per week; behaviour modification, which involves eating three sensible meals a day and avoiding snacking. Additionally drugs like stimulants, appetite suppressants, antidepressants and medication to reduce fat absorption are prescribed. The disadvantages of this method is that most patients regain much of the lost weight and the average amount of weight loss is relatively small. Drug therapy may also be associated with side-effects and it is very difficult for most to maintain the programmes in the long term.
Surgery

According to National Institutes of Health (NIH), since many obese people can’t shed weight with diet and exercise alone, Bariatric Surgery has proven to be the most effective method to treat obesity. This can improve the person’s quality of life in many ways since significant amounts of weight is lost making the person more active. It also reduces the life threatening risk factors associated with obesity. Improving self-esteem gradually opens the doors for better work opportunities, friendships and relationships.

Patients with a BMI of 40 or greater who also suffer from severe medical conditions related to obesity (sleep apnea, diabetes, heart failure, high blood pressure) are the ones who can opt for bariatric surgery. Such patients must be willing to commit to the lifestyle changes that have to follow the surgery.

Patients with a history of substance abuse, eating disorder, or psychiatric problems; those who are too ill or women who may become pregnant within two years are not eligible for surgery.