Obesity increases the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes due to fat accumulation affecting the functioning of body parts, even in young people.
On January 26, Dr. Do Minh Hung, Director of the Endoscopy and Endoscopic Surgery Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, provided the above information, adding that a person is considered obese when the body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher. According to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022, there will be more than one billion obese people globally, including 650 million adults and 340 million adolescents.
Obesity is the cause of many diseases. In obese people, the amount of fat covering the heart makes it difficult for the heart to contract, or too much fat accumulates, increasing the volume of circulating blood, increasing the burden on the heart.
Obese people often have high blood pressure, abnormal sugar and cholesterol levels - factors that increase the risk of cerebral arteriosclerosis and stroke. In the US in 2010, the results of 25 studies with 2.3 million participants showed that obese people have a high risk of stroke up to 64%.
Excess body fat also causes the insulin hormone to not work effectively. At this time, the pancreas produces more insulin. If the condition persists, the pancreas's insulin production will decrease, leading to type 2 diabetes.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in three obese people has osteoarthritis. For every 5 kg of weight gain, the risk of knee osteoarthritis increases by 36%.
Obesity also negatively affects the functioning of sex hormones, according to Dr. Hung. High levels of fat in a woman’s body can impair ovarian function, cause menstrual disorders, difficulty conceiving, and increase the risk of gynecological infections.
Obese pregnant women are at higher risk of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and complications during labor and delivery. Overweight men are more likely to have erectile dysfunction and infertility due to reduced testosterone levels.
According to the Center for Endoscopy and Endoscopic Surgery of the Digestive System, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, there are many young cases but they suffer from many diseases due to the consequences of obesity.
For example, Ms. Le, 24 years old, weighs 130 kg, has a body mass index (BMI) of 46.1, and is in the super obese group. The cause is due to irregular eating and living habits. General health check-ups show that in addition to obesity, she also has high blood pressure and pre-diabetes.
Ms. Le had laparoscopic surgery to narrow her stomach into a tube. After two weeks of surgery, she ate and exercised as instructed and lost 12 kg.
Ms. Le went to Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City for examination. Photo: Provided by the hospital
Similarly, Ms. Hien, 26 years old, weighs 161 kg, BMI 56.48 (super obese). She has many diseases such as grade 3 fatty liver, high blood pressure, lipoprotein metabolism disorder, hyperlipidemia, gastritis and duodenitis.
Ms. Hien tried many ways to lose weight but without success, so she decided to have a tubular gastric bypass surgery. Before the surgery, she was treated for gastritis caused by HP bacteria (Helicobacter pylori).
According to Dr. Hung, gastric bypass surgery is the last resort for weight loss when patients have failed to use exercise, diet, and medical treatment. There are many surgical techniques, but this is the most commonly performed method in the world.
Gastric reduction surgery is indicated for people with a BMI of 40 or higher or 35-39.9 and accompanied by at least one other disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis... Doctors in some Asian countries choose a BMI of 37, 32 with metabolic disease to indicate surgery.
Doctor Minh Hung (second from right) and his team during a laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery in November 2023. Photo: Provided by the hospital
Successful treatment of obesity and weight loss also improves accompanying health indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, etc. After obesity treatment, patients continue to eat and exercise according to the doctor's instructions, and have regular health check-ups to monitor and evaluate other health indicators.
Doctor Hung recommends that gastric bypass surgery is a safe method with a high success rate, however, patients need to choose a reputable treatment facility.
Quyen Phan
* Patient's name has been changed
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