Some people require invasive options for weight loss; surgeon believes that the UAE needs to list obesity as a disease.
“The best thing is not to overeat, but that is not possible for some of us,” says a laparoscopic surgeon on how to beat the onslaught of obesity.
The doctor explains how easy it is to eat about 25 per cent more than our usual intake of food at buffet tables. How children are tempted by sweets by placing candies and chocolates near the check-out counters.
How fast food outlets build play areas for children inside to make eating junk food more fun. “Obesity among children is alarming,” he says.
Dr Gerd Lepsien, an obesity specialist and plastic surgeon, daily sees a number of patients who are desperate to lose weight, at his clinic on Shaikh Zayed Road.
“Look at our neighbours,” he says, pointing out of his office window at the number of fast food outlets on this stretch of road. “I am not against fast food, but don’t make it your regular meal. Learn what it is that you are eating. We need to teach children about proper nutrition.”
If you eat more than the calories you burn, the extra energy from the food is stored as fat. The more the amount of fat being stored, the more obese you get.
Disease
The surgeon believes that the UAE needs to list obesity as a disease.
“Do you know that obesity is not covered by medical insurance?”
He believes that this lack of recognition drives patients to seek cheaper treatment abroad. They are then hit by the travel and after-care costs.
Lepsien believes that the government health system should help a person to save himself.
“Obesity triggers other diseases [such] as diabetes, high blood pressure, joint pain, and there is a higher rate of cancers,” he says. “You always need medication.”
The doctor once had a patient who weighed 260 kilos. “But that is a rare case,” he says.
The surgeon recommends some of the drastic measures as gastric banding to people whose BMI or Body Mass Index is 40.
According to the US-based Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Body Mass Index (BMI) is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height and is a reliable indicator of body fat for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
Gastric banding is literally a band which is tightened across your oesophagus and gut and restricts the amount of food that gets in. But it costs between Dh35,000 and Dh60,000.
The other non-invasive option that works is a gastric balloon, which is inflated inside your stomach. It takes up quite a bit of space and you feel full even if you eat a little bit. This is the restrictive procedure.
One of the extreme options is a gastric bypass. This combines restriction of food and some degree of malabsorption.
The stomach is cut and a much smaller pouch is created. It is then connected to the small intestine.
The majority of the stomach and a portion of the small intestine are bypassed which results in lesser absorption of ingested food.
“One of the side effects of this surgery is vitamin deficiency. But the size of some of the patients is so big that there is no other option,” he says.
“Immediately after the operation, the action starts,” says the doctor. “You tend to eat less.”
Your calorie intake is also controlled to about 800 kilo calories for about four weeks. ( An average person’s daily calorie requirement is 1,200 kilo calories).
Mahmood Saberi
Gulf News