Begin Your Weight Loss Journey with Bariatric Surgery

The incidence of obesity is rising in India and is widely affecting younger generation too. On one hand, there is a portion of population that suffers from obesity because of genetics or certain medications, while on the other hand, there is another set of people who are becoming a victim of obesity due to unhealthy eating habits and sedentary lifestyles.

What is obesity?

Obesity is a chronic disease and occurs when a person has too much body fat. Obesity is measured by Body Mass Index (BMI), calculated by using the height and weight. Also, obesity can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, etc.

If you are aiming to lose weight, then important is to seek the right treatment and adopt weight loss measures that best suit you. You can choose from a variety of treatment options like eating fewer calories, exercising regularly or following a healthy diet plan. But in some cases, despite bringing about major lifestyle changes, weight loss still seems impossible. For those, Bariatric Surgery could be an effective treatment option.

Bariatric Surgery:

Bariatric surgery aims to reduce the size of the stomach. The surgery involves closing off parts of stomach to restrict intake of food into the body, and reduce the absorption of food in the stomach and intestines. The reduced absorption of nutrients and calories from the food pushes weight loss and decreases the risks of obesity-related health problems.

Types of bariatric surgery:

Bariatric surgery has been broadly classified into three types and your surgeon will decide the best procedure after examining your weight, age, and medical history.

1) Gastric band: In this procedure, the surgeon inserts an adjustable silicone band around the upper part of the stomach. This band divides the stomach into two sections: a small upper pouch, and a larger lower stomach. In the small pouch, less food fits in, and so fewer calories are absorbed. Because of small stomach size, patients feel full sooner and because less calories are absorbed, the feeling of fullness lasts longer. The procedure is considered least invasive and the reversible. After removing the band, the stomach returns to its normal size.

2) Gastric bypass: In this procedure, a small pouch of stomach is created and it is then connected to farther portion of small intestine, allowing the bile and pancreatic fluids to help fully digest food. When food enters the body, it moves through the pouch directly into the farther portion of small intestine, bypassing the large part of stomach and small intestine. Because of this, less calories and nutrients are absorbed in the body, facilitating weight loss.

3) Sleeve gastrectomy: In this procedure, the stomach isn’t rearranged as in Gastric Bypass Surgery. Rather the stomach is resized in the procedure, leaving only a banana-shaped portion. 70% of the stomach portion is removed and only a vertical sleeve, 30% stomach, remains that resembles a banana. The stomach is permanently reduced to 15-20% of its original size and the procedure isn’t reversible. Because the size of the stomach gets smaller, food intake and thereby consumption of calories and nutrients too get restricted, thus resulting in weight loss.

Benefits of Bariatric Surgery

If despite dieting and exercising, you don’t see much change in your excess weight or weight loss doesn’t last, then bariatric surgery may be an ideal solution for you.

Long term weight loss: The surgery not only helps you lose weight, but also helps you maintain it and keep it off. Bariatric surgery is considered to be the most effective treatment to tackle severe obesity and maintain long term weight loss.

Improved health conditions: Bariatric surgery can improve or even relieve weight-related health issues such as Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, joint pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and so on.

Better quality of life: With a healthier weight, people report increase in self-esteem and self-confidence. They also get more economic opportunities and could indulge in their favorite recreational and physical activities.

Your health outcomes after the surgery will depend greatly on the type of procedure, and how committed you are towards bringing the lifestyles changes as suggested by the surgeon. It might take a few days before you are able to resume a normal lifestyle. And for all those who think it is a magical treatment, it is not. After the surgery, you will have to change your eating habits and make exercise a permanent part of your life.