OVERVIEW OF OBESITY RISKS AND TREATMENTS

According to ObesityInAmerica.org, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese. Furthermore, an estimated 65.2 percent of U.S. adults, age 20 years and older, and 15 percent of children and adolescents are overweight and 30.5 percent are currently obese.

Obesity defined

Obesity is a complex disease in which having too much body fat increases a person's risk for developing other health problems. Obesity is measured by body mass index (BMI), a calculation that shows weight in relation to height. Click here to calculate your BMI.

As BMI increases, the risk of some diseases increases. A BMI of 30 or above is considered obese in adults, which means a person is at a higher risk for certain diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease (CAD). However, BMI is only one of many factors used to predict the risk of developing a disease.

Health risks of obesity

Overweight and obese people are prone to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina and abnormal heart rhythm.

More than 80 percent of people with the most common form of diabetes, Type 2, are obese or overweight. Obesity complicates the management of Type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, which makes drug treatment for the disease less effective.

Obesity has a negative effect on lipid levels in the blood, which often leads to the development of a condition known as dyslipidemia, which is a primary risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD).

The majority of patients diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormonal disorder in reproductive-age women, are either overweight or obese. PCOS is a leading cause of infertility. In addition, PCOS causes significant insulin resistance, thereby increasing the woman’s risk of developing diabetes.

Treatments for obesity

Research has shown that surgery may work better than diet to treat obesity.

Surgery may be an option if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. It may also be an option if you have a BMI of 35 and another health problem related to your weight, such as diabetes or arthritis.

The surgery helps by causing significant weight loss thereby reducing obesity-related health problems, including diabetes, type 2 and high blood pressure.

Two types of surgery are used to treat obesity. A restrictive operation such as stomach stapling or adjustable gastric banding decreases food intake, usually by decreasing the size of the stomach. A malabsorptive operation such as a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or a biliopancreatic diversion restricts food intake and decreases the digestion and absorption of food.

Treatment cost

In the US, the surgery may cost tens of thousands of dollars. If you are uninsured or underinsured, this may mean a huge out-of-pocket expense for your treatment. However, if you opt to have the same surgery overseas you may be out on your healthy way for just a fraction of the cost in the US.

At Healthbase, we ensure that you get the best quality treatment for low cost at our partner hospitals overseas. Sign up to obtain your FREE quote for treatment and consult with our surgeons about how they can help you with your problem.