Weight Loss Surgeon
9 Ways how Bariatric Surgery Can Impact Overall Health
Study shows Bariatric Surgery can improve your overall health drastically
Bariatric surgery can improve the overall health of an individual. Many studies show the positive impact bariatric surgery can create on the overall health.
(Facts Source: https://www.who.int/news)
More than 1 billion people worldwide are obese – 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children. This number is still increasing. WHO estimates that by 2025, approximately 167 million people – adults and children – will become less healthy because they are overweight or obese.
The figures have dramatically escalated over the last 30 years. Overweight & obesity, as per the report, affects people of all age groups. Doctors worldwide claim that modest weight loss can benefit overall health. Karen Hillenmeyer, Program Director at Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Saint Joseph East, USA, opines, “Obesity is a disease that affects every system in the body. When an individual can’t lose weight through diet and exercise alone, weight loss surgery is often an option to put them on a path to a healthier lifestyle.”
Let us look at how bariatric surgery can improve the overall health condition.
1. Heart Health –
A team of British researchers have found out that obesity directly damages the blood vessels. The body fat surrounding the arteries tend to secrete high amounts of a protein called WNT5A. Patients with higher levels of WNT5A levels show a faster progression of plaque build-up in their arteries which can spark a heart attack or a stroke. There has been a steep increase in cholesterol levels, blood pressure & diabetic conditions in obese people of all age groups. Cardiologists say there are evident signs of coronary artery disease & other cardiac issues even in children & young adults. Weight-loss surgery remarkably reduces the risk of heart diseases. By reversing the cholesterol & blood pressure levels, the procedure plays a crucial role in improving heart health.
2. Improved Diabetic Conditions –
Obesity causes increased levels of fatty acids & inflammation, leading to insulin resistance, the cause for type II diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, blindness among adults, heart diseases, pregnancy complications etc. About 60-80% of patients have experienced a dramatic improvement in diabetic symptoms after bariatric surgery. The University of Pittsburgh researched on 61 obese women with diabetes. All of these were to undergo some form of weight loss surgery or an intensive lifestyle change. After the surgery, on an average, the recipients of the surgery lost most of the visceral fat, one that contributes to blood sugar processing issues than the ones who took up intensive lifestyle changes. The surgery lowered blood sugar levels. At 3 years, 65% of the gastric bypass group & 33% of the gastric band group no more needed blood sugar-lowering drugs & responded better than the ‘lifestyle change’ group. The study concluded that patients who underwent bariatric surgery showed better results at 3 years than the ones with intensive lifestyle change treatment.
3. Fatty Liver Disease –
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. Morbid obesity is closely linked to the development of this disease & weight loss is considered the most reliable treatment. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a sub-category of this condition & bariatric surgery is shown to slow down or reverse the progression of NASH.
4. Joint Pain & Osteoarthritis –
For every 5 kg weight gain, there is a 36% increased risk of osteoarthritis. It is a chronic joint disease that cracks-up the cartilage in the neck, lower back, knees, fingers, hips & shoulders. Case studies show that bariatric surgery provides phenomenal relief as quickly as three months after the surgery.
5. Relief From Obstructive Sleep Apnea –
6. Averts Cancers of Various Kinds –
7. PCOS & Infertility –
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent endocrine disorder in women. The disease is a vicious cycle where people with PCOS tend to gain heavyweight, and on the other hand, overweight/obesity could cause PCOS. Reports indicate that women who undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and achieve successful weight loss have restored menstrual cycles and see considerable improvement in other symptoms of PCOS. Studies from Italy, Canada & USA show that bariatric surgery also significantly improves the fertility rate.
8. Other Health Conditions –
Other medical conditions like metabolic syndrome, diseases of the gall bladder, hyperlipidaemia, etc., are seen to ease off after the surgery.
9. Better Mental Health & Quality of Life –
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