The terms “obesity” and “overweight” describe weight ranges greater than what is generally considered to be healthy for a given height. By definition, an overweight person has extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Someone who is obese has a high amount of extra body fat.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is the standard used to diagnose overweight and obesity in adults. BMI measures body fat based on height and weight. Adults with BMI greater than 30 are considered obese, while those with BMI measures greater than 25 are classified as overweight.
How Obesity can affect daily life?
Obesity is a medical condition in which a high amount of body fat increases the chance of developing medical problems.
People with obesity have a higher chance of developing these health problems such as High blood glucose or diabetes and even cholesterol. These medical problems can sometimes lead to having a sudden heart attack due to coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. Obesity can cause Bone and joint problems as more weight puts pressure on the bones and joints. This can lead to osteoarthritis, a disease that causes joint pain and stiffness. Stopping breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). This can cause daytime fatigue or sleepiness, poor attention, and problems at work. Gallstones and liver problems including some types of cancers are at risk.
Potential candidates for bariatric surgeries
- People who have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 31
- People who have tried weight loss strategies with little or no success.
- People who have the capacity to change their diet to ensure surgery works and prevent complications.
Types of bariatric surgeries:
Gastric Bypass
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), gastric bypass surgery divides a portion of the stomach away from the rest of the stomach, creating a small pouch. This causes food to bypass the rest of the stomach. A surgeon connects the small intestine to this newly created stomach. This creates a much smaller stomach, forcing you to eat smaller meals.
Gastric sleeve operation
Gastric sleeve surgery is a restrictive procedure. The surgeon removes a large part of the stomach, which creates a smaller, tubular stomach. The capacity of the new stomach is limited to around 100-150 ml, while a normal stomach has a volume of around two to three liters. Due to the small capacity of the new stomach, the patient can eat less and consequently loose weight.