More people opting for obesity surgery (From The Argus)
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More people opting for obesity surgery
6:20pm Friday 24th February 2012 in News By Siobhan Ryan, Health Reporter
A rising number of dangerously overweight people are turning to obesity surgery to lose weight.
New figures show 426 men and women were admitted to hospitals across Sussex for gastric band and other weight loss operations last year.
This is a 7% rise on the 398 the year before and reflects the increasing number of people willing to take drastic measures to shed the stones.
Last resort Health bosses insist this type of surgery is only done as a last resort.
Obesity costs the county’s NHS almost £500 million a year, and the figure is rising.
The money is used to treat conditions associated with being morbidly overweight, including diabetes, stroke, heart disease and knee and hip operations.
Although successful in many cases, there are times when things have gone tragically wrong.
Virginia Humphrey, 67, of Brighton, died after her weight plummeted by 13 stone in seven months following a gastric bypass.
Kim Swan, 43, from Peacehaven, died in agony earlier this year of post-operative complications after undergoing weight-loss surgery.
However, Irene Baker, 56, from Chichester, has not looked back since her operation in October 2010 and has shed more than ten stone.
At one point she weighed 24st 4lb and developed Type 2 diabetes but since losing weight, she no longer even has to take tablets to control the condition.
Long-term change
An NHS Sussex spokesman said: “The number of adults who are very overweight across Sussex is rising.
“The best way to lose weight is by making long-term lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
“In some cases where this is not enough then weight loss surgery might be appropriate.
“We know surgery is a proven and effective method of helping people to lose weight and reduce their risk of developing life-threatening conditions.
“However, we do recommend exploring other weight loss options first.
“If a specialist decides surgery could be the right option, the patient must show lifestyle changes have been made first, and they have to stick to long-term changes afterwards."
Experts believe more than a quarter of all adults in the county will be seriously overweight by 2014 if current trends continue.
Comments(3)
davyboy
says...
10:16am Sat 25 Feb 12
Twittern Wanderer
says...
8:38pm Sun 26 Feb 12
davyboy wrote:Exactly, but not popular with the bleeding hearts...
surgery should be a last resort, as regulating your diet, and exercising, will allow you to lose weight. if it is done for purely cosmetic reasons the NHS should not have to foot the bill. people must realise that if you insist on stuffing your face without some sort of exercise you will get fatter. obesity brings its own problems, which we all pay to sort out through our taxes. why should I, a healthy person, have to pay to sort out the problems someone has put upon themselves by overeating. Granted, i understand that sometimes these problems can be medical, but once sorted, you should be able to look after yourself.
thewhitehawker says...
9:36pm Fri 24 Feb 12