The Heart of the Matter: Obesity Can Kill
Ask a child what the most vital organ of the human body is. Child will tell you it is the Heart.
Ask a mother when she first felt the gush of life within her womb. She will tell you it is when she first sensed her baby’s heartbeat.
Ask a spurned lover what the most painful experience of all is. He will tell you it is the pangs of a heart ache.
Anatomically, Physiogically, Emotionally – the Heart is the core of our being.
It is not that we don’t know it. But often we ignore it.
So, while we do well to feed our stomachs with delicious food and feed our senses with interesting stimulants, we forget to give our heart what it needs to remain healthy.
Did you know that India is set to soon become the Global Capital of Heart Disease?
Nearly two million people are dying each year in India due to heart problems and a large number of them are youngsters.
Obesity and lifestyle choices are proven to be the underlying cause of a large number of those cases of heart disease.
Obesity is not just the weight on your body. It is also the weight on your Heart. Increased fat around the waist increases the risk of Cardiovascular ailments.
Obesity is determined by calculating the BMI or Body Mass Index of the person.
Eg : if one’s height is 175 cm and weight is 70 kg, the BMI would be calculated as follows :-
BMI = 70 / (1.75 * 1.75) = 22.86
When one’s BMI is 30 or more, one is said to be Obese.
And when BMI is more than 37.5, patients qualify for Bariatric surgery subject to certain conditions.
There are many ways to lose weight but there is only one sceintifically validated way to sustain weight loss over long term. It is Bariatric Surgery.
Bariatric Surgery is a scientifically proven, tried and tested treatment for obesity. Known also as Weight Loss or Obesity Surgery, it is a procedure to induce long term weight loss particularly amongst those for whom other weight loss measures have not worked.
Bariatric surgery involves reducing the actve size of the patient’s stomach with the help of a gastric band also known as a lap-band. Alternatively, a part of the stomach is surgically removed. In one more type of surgery, food pathway is rerouted.
All these three options in Bariatric surgery result in reduction of food intake or less absortpition of fat and sugars or both, to help long term weight loss. Your Doctor will advise which of these three options are best for you.
Post the bariatric procedure, one is required to have small frequent meals. As the stomach size is reduced, one tends to feel full with smaller quantities. The food intake will thereby reduce on its own.
The impact of bariatric surgery becomes apparent within the first few weeks of surgery.
The procedure is performed through laparoscopy i.e. through the key-hole method. This involves minitature incisions. As a result, there will be no major scars of surgery and recovery is painless and quick compared to open surgery.
Bariatric Surgery involves risk just like any other surgery. But it is important to understand that as with any other surgery, the surgeon’s skill and expertise reduce the risk involved.
The success of a surgery and the patient’s experience depends mostly on the experience, skill and expertise of the surgeon. It is therefore necessary that one approaches a top bariatric centre with vast experience in performing batiatric and laparoscopic surgeries.
Apart from Heart Disease, Obesity is associated with increased risk of several physical health disorders including diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, arthritis, infertility, sleep apnea and thyroid amongst others.
It is also a major cause of mental and psychological problems like Depression, Anxiety, etc. caused due to social seclusion and isolation.
Bariatric Surgery may be the answer to end your battle with Obesity and the multifarious problems that come along with it.
