A weighty problem

Seven per cent of Indians are obese. While pregnant women are at double the risk due to stress of pregnancy and childbirth, the ever-increasing sedentary lifestyle coupled with changing diet is becoming a serious issue in the country.

Punjab, Kerala, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana rank the highest according to a survey carried out by the ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the incidence of obesity.

Official estimates show that obesity ranges from 37.5 per cent to 23 per cent in the female population and 30 per cent to 18 per cent in the male population in these states.

Rising obesity is a concern
The trend of unhealthy, processed foods has increased intake of high calorie and energy-rich foods, leading to abdominal obesity, where there is excessive fat around the stomach and abdomen, which is becoming a major concern. This fat build up is around the internal organs and not below the skin hence it is found to have a negative impact on health. It increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic dysfunction and also vascular problems.

Dr K.S. Lakshmi, senior consultant, minimal access, bariatric and metabolic surgery at Global Hospi-tals said, “What brings most women to hospitals is uncontrolled sugar levels and hypertension. Due to obesity, the body develops resistance to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. When obesity causes insulin resistance, blood sugar becomes elevated, increasing the risk of diabetes. At the same times, obesity leads to hardening of arteries. This condition is present 10 times more in obese people. Due to narrowing of arteries and reduced blood flow to the heart, there is a risk of chest pains or heart attacks. Blood clots can also lead to strokes. Excess weight is a problem and it must be reduced through lifestyle management or surgically.”

Diet and exercise do not help when BMI is above 35
Traditional steps like dieting and exercise are not found to work for those who have a BMI above 35 and are found to be only taxing and do not give the desired results.

Dr T.L.V.D. Prasad Babu, senior surgical gastroenterologist and bariatric surgeon at Yashoda Hospitals said, “Those who have a BMI above 35 go through hormonal changes and also other problems like joint pains, arthritis due to which they can’t do heavy exercises. In our practice, we have found that these people lose 10 kg but end up gaining 15 kg later. Also, dieting has proved to be a complete failure for them as their hunger pangs increase and the craving for more food puts them at a risk of always yearning for food. For these morbidly obese people, we have found good interventions through scientific methods like bariatric surgery where there is a hormonal change where the brain gets the signal that the food is sufficient. This is the most important factor.”

Surgical intervention is the only method till date as experts say that there are no drugs or medicines, which can help deal with excess fat.

What is obesity?
Obesity is a medical condition wherein excess body fat gets accumulated and the body mass index (BMI) exceeds 30. Those who have a BMI of more than 35 to 40 are categorised as morbidly obese where the risk of illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, cardiac diseases, gastro esophageal reflux disease, gallstones, osteoarthritis and cancer are high.

Check your BMI regularly
If the BMI is between 25 and 30 then it is a pre-obesity stage and it’s important to start exercises like brisk walking, swimming, cycling, aerobics, dance and yoga to bring the weight under control. This stage is a “golden chance” to ensure that the weight is brought back to normal. Normal BMI is 19 to 23.

Experts say that even when the BMI is between 30 and 35, in some cases, concentrated efforts of exercise and a strict diet have found to help. But the success rate evaluated at clinical levels has recorded only 50 per cent positive results.

When the BMI exceeds 35, then the management is required via scientific evaluation of surgeries to bring the weight under control. But it depends on conditions like age, arthritis and other illnesses of the patient.