The Sunday Mail

Weight loss surgery is on the rise but there is still more to be done!

 

 

Weight loss surgery is on the rise, but we still need to be doing more. I was fortunate to appear in a recent article in the Sunday Mail, speaking about the fact that weight loss surgery is increasing in numbers around Australia. Despite this increase, less than 1% of eligible patients undergo surgery.

 

Weight loss surgery is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off long term. A large study from Sweden demonstrated that patients with a BMI 35, on a diet and exercise program had little or no BMI change over 15 years, compared with patients who underwent surgery with a diet and exercise program who lost over 32% of their total body weight, and lived longer.

 

Patients often feel nervous about weight loss surgery, and this is understandable, as nobody wants to have surgery that isn’t needed. For patients with a BMI 35 however, the benefits far outweigh the risks. Weight loss surgery is safer than the long-term effects of obesity, and this is important to remember. Obesity is defined as a World Health Organisation chronic disease, and the medical community should treat it as such.

 

Weight loss surgery is not the ‘easy way out’ and should not be thought of as such. It takes discipline, dedication and determination, and a huge amount of courage to embark on life-changing surgery.

 

For further information regarding potential weight loss options, both surgical and non-surgical, please do not hesitate to contact me.