What is Obesity and what are its Comorbidities : In simple words, obesity is having excess fat in your body. The reason for Obesity is taking more calories than burning them through exercise, and daily activities. When a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) is 27.5 or greater, then the person is said to be Obese. Obesity can increase the risk of various health problems such as Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart diseases, stroke, arthritis, excessive sweating, anemia, hyperuricemia and gout, and many more. Certain types of Cancers are also related to obesity. Comorbidities result in the need for health care, and at the same time reducing the ability of an obese person to function in their life. These can be more or less serious.
What is Bariatric Surgery?
In Bariatric surgery, the person has to undergo an operation so that the changes can be made to the digestive systems that help in losing weight. In this operation, your stomach is made smaller so that you eat and drink less, making you feel full and avoid eating more. Other weight loss surgeries change your small intestine as this is the part of the body that absorbs nutrients and calories from foods.
Types of Bariatric or Weight loss surgery
All types of these surgeries have their benefit. It is very important to consult your doctor before going ahead with any of these. Let us look at some of the types of weight loss surgeries
- Gastric bypass surgery – This is the most common procedure where your surgeon will cut across the top of your stomach, creating a small pouch, and will connect it directly to your small intestines. This type is also called a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery.
- Gastric Sleeve Surgery – In this procedure, the surgeon removes the part of your stomach, which is almost 80%, leaving a long pouch.
- Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) – Here, your stomach will be separated into two pouches using a band or similar material.
- Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch – In this procedure, the first step will be similar to gastric bypass surgery. In the next step, the end portions of the intestine will be connected to the duodenum near the stomach.
How Bariatric surgery helps in improving comorbidities related to obesity?
Bariatric surgery is considered to be the most successful and long-lasting treatment of obesity. Various studies are proving that bariatric surgery reduces the total mortality rate compared to a unit of patients who did not opt for this surgery. After the bariatric surgery, there has been a significant decline in the mortality rate subject to cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases.
Apart from its various health benefits, bariatric surgery also helps improving overall psychological health. A person who undergoes this surgery feels less depressed compared to those who try to lose weight from other methods. It also makes you feel more energetic and allows you to be active in your life. There are various benefits that you get through this surgery. Some of them are:
- Bariatric surgery helps control type 2 diabetes. Various results show that this procedure is extremely effective, and allows the patients to avoid insulin and extra medications for at least two to three years after the surgery.
- This surgery reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and outlying heart disease. It can also help to control Blood pressure and cholesterol levels, bringing them to almost normal post-surgery.
- After weight loss surgery, people can often sleep without intervals or disturbances. It also helps to overcome sleep apnea.
- Being obese can make a person feel bad because of social stigma. People who are with excessive weight find it difficult to participate in various activities. Losing excess weight through bariatric surgery can improve physical as well as emotional health.
- Weight loss surgery also helps in improving fertility during pregnancy.
- With excess weight, a lot of stress is put on your joints, causing severe pain and joint damage. Bariatric surgery alleviates the stress on joints and allows people to avoid taking pain killers.
Conclusion
In case you are suffering from severe obesity, and are unable to lose weight from other methods, then Bariatric surgery could be an option for you. The outcome of this operation is the improvement of various obesity-related comorbid diseases. It also improves the quality of life, reduces depression and anxiety, and improves self-esteem.