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St. George Obesity & General Surgery

Obesity

What is Obesity and its Causes?

Obesity is a complex condition influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, psychological, and lifestyle factors.

Here are some primary causes:

Obesity

Consequences of Obesity

If you are severely or morbidly obese, you may experience the following health problems:

Compared to normal weight people, obese people have a 50-100% increased risk of dying prematurely

  • Diabetes (type 2)
  • Joint problems (e.g., arthritis)
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease
  • Gallbladder problems
  • Certain types of cancer (breast, uterine, colon)
  • Digestive disorders (e.g., gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, or GORD)
  • Breathing difficulties (e.g., sleep apnoea, asthma)
  • Problems with fertility and pregnancy
  • Incontinence
  • Psychological problems such as depression
  • Negative self-image
  • Social isolation
  • Discrimination
  • Normal tasks become harder when you are obese, as movement is more difficult
  • You tend to tire more quickly and you find yourself short of breath
  • Public transport seats, telephone booths, and cars may be too small for you
  • You may find it difficult to maintain personal hygiene

Treatment Options

Many people who are unhealthily overweight have tried various ways to lose excess weight. Hundreds of markets for slimming diets, cures and products are available. However, many studies show that diets and slimming aids rarely succeed in helping people achieve the desired result of long-lasting weight reduction.


In fact, many people who have tried dieting gain back more than they lost when they go off the diet.

Obesity surgery is available for those people who have tried to lose weight with diets, exercise, cures, tablets or medicines without success.

Obesity surgery is designed to reduce the amount your stomach can hold and therefore decrease your appetite so you eat less.

Click here to find out more about Obesity Surgery from www.obesitysurgeons.com.au

There are several types of obesity surgery available; following is a brief overview on each of them. For more information please contact our practice.

Gastric banding is a procedure that restricts stomach volume, without the use of staples or cutting. Via laparoscopic incision, a soft band is placed around the stomach to form a small pouch with an opening to the rest of the stomach. The procedure is easily reversed; your doctor will simply remove the band via laparoscope.

The Midband gastric band as it is the simplest to install, the softest, with less post-operative pain and quicker recovery time (it could be as little as 4 weeks rather than the usual 8 weeks for other bands).

It is a soft silicone ‘belt’ that is placed around the upper portion of the stomach. The band is a smooth all in one construction, with an inflatable ‘balloon’ section that is connected by tubing to an ‘injection reservoir’. The reservoir is just below the skin and is easily adjustable by your doctor when adjustments are needed.

The band is placed around the upper portion of the stomach, dividing it into two parts. The diameter of the inner part of the band – the ‘balloon’ – is adjusted, according to how much weight you want to lose.

The Midband creates a feeling of fullness. It doesn’t interfere with the absorption of nutrients as some other procedures can. Weight loss is simply achieved by reduction of food intake.

BMI Calculator

Body Mass Index (BMI) is measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. BMI does not differentiate between body fat and muscle mass. Therefore, body builders and people who have a lot of muscle bulk will have a high BMI but are not overweight or obese.

Fat predominantly distributed around the waist is also a risk factor for health complications such as cardiovascular disease and types II diabetes. Fat predominantly deposited around the hips and buttocks doesn’t have this same risk.

Check your Body Mass Index

What is your weight?
kgs
What is your height?
cms

You Body Mass Index(BMI) is:
You are

Your BMI Result indicates

  • Below 18.5 - UNDERWEIGHT
  • 18.5 - 24.9 - HEALTHY
  • 25 - 29.9 - OVERWEIGHT
  • 30 - 34.9 - CLASS 1 OBESITY
  • 35 - 39.9 - CLASS 2 SEVERE OBESITY
  • 40 and Above - CLASS 3 MORBID OBESITY

Obesity Related Conditions

References