AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

NT Bureau
Chennai, Mar 21:

        India has not recognised obesity as a disease, unlike in western countries. Here, people equate obesity with a symbol of wealth, said Pradeep

        K Chowbey, president, Obesity Surgery Society of India, and secretary general, Asia Pacific Bariatric Surgery Society.

        On the effects of obesity on health, Pradeep said, central obesity (which occurs mostly in men and is predominant around the waist), is an important risk factor for the 'metabolic syndrome' X. Obesity increases the risks, faced by people suffering from cardiovascular diseases,diabetes mellitus type 2, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

        In the clinical setting, obesity is typically evaluated by measuring BMI (body mass index), waist circumference, and evaluating the presence of risk factors and comorbidities.

        BMI or Body Mass Index is calculated by dividing the subject's weight in kilograms by the square of his/her height in metres (BMI = kg / m2) or (BMI = weight(lbs.) * 703 / height(inches)2).

        Pradeep said, a BMI less than 18.5 is considered underweight, a BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 is normal weight, a BMI of 25.0 - 29.9 is overweight, a BMI of 30.0 - 39.9 is obese and a BMI of 40.0 or higher is severely (or morbidly) obesity. BMI is a simple and widely used method for estimating body fat and can be calculated by the person itself. he added.

        Talking about the risk factors involved, he said, people with a BMI of over 30 should be counseled to go on a diet, exercise and set realistic goals for losing weight.

        In patients with BMI greater than 40, who fail to lose weight (with or without medication) and who develop obesity-related complications, bariatric surgery can be attempted. Pradeep said people are generally not aware that obesity can be treated surgically.

        He said patients using surgerical methods like Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RNY), biliopancreatic diversion, and stomach stapling or 'vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), can reduce weight.

        In the Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding method, a silicone ring is placed around the top of the stomach to help restrict the amount of food eaten at a sitting and is considered the safest and least invasive of the available weight loss surgeries.

        Laparoscopic Roux Y Gastric Bypass is considered the gold standard in treating morbid obesity, where by the stomach is divided using staples to create a gastric pouch, which is based on the principal of restriction and malabsorption. The procedure is performed both laparoscopically and by conventional open access and helps in losing 60 to 70 percent weight. In India, the operation would cost anywhere from Rs 40,000 to Rs 2 lakh or more, he said.