What is Morbid Obesity?

Obesity is considered a health "condition". A person is considered "obese" when he or she weighs 20% or more than his or her ideal body weight. At that point, the person's weight poses a real health risk. Obesity becomes "morbid" when it significantly increased the risk of one or more obesity related health conditions or serious diseases. Morbid obesity - sometimes called "clinically severe obesity" - is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 35 or higher.

Some Startling Facts about Morbid Obesity : (Why would anyone have surgery to lose weight?)

• Alarming number of people die prematurely each year due to obesity related diseases. This number is increasing rapidly and soon obesity will replace all other causes of premature death.

• Most people are not successful losing weight with diets (upto 97% are unsuccessful).

• Death rates increase at least 200% for men and women who are significantly overweight (more than 25 kg).

• According to WHO census of Year 2000 there were 171 million people suffering from diabetes worldwide and by the year 2030 this number will increase to 366 million which is almost double the number today.

• At present India ranks no.1 in Diabetes Mellitus and India will still top the list of diabetics till 2020.

• It is predicted that obesity over the course of the next 20 years will be the number one health problem throughout the world.

• If you are morbidly obese and you are trying to lose your weight with exercise, then 95 to 97% of people will regain most or all of the weight that was lost within 1-2 years if there is lack of diet control and exercise.

• With exercise and dieting one can loose 5-12 kgs of weight only and that too when you are following strict regime, the moment you stop you regain the weight.

 So, Bariatric Surgery is helps in significant and long-lasting weight loss in severely obese patients. 

What is BMI ?

To understand Morbid Obesity we have to know the Body Mass Index (BMI). Body Mass Index is a simple and widely used method for estimating body fat mass. It calculates body fat based on the relationship of weight and height.

The formula for calculating Obesity Body Mass Index (BMI) is :

BMI = Weight (in Kgs) / Height2 (in Metres)

A Healthy BMI is about 18-25.

* BMI Less than 19 indicates you are Under Weight.
* BMI between 20 and 24 is usually considered Normal.
* BMI of 25 to 29 is considered Over Weight.
* BMI of 30 or above is considered Obese.


How to calculate Normal Weight ?

Weight = Height (in cms) - 100 [example : 176cms - 100 = 76 Kg] where 76 Kg is the normal weight required for a person whose height is 176cms.

Who will benefit from Bariatric Surgery ?

People with Diabetes Mellitus, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, High Blood Cholesterol, Asthma, Respiratory Insufficiency, Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, Gallbladder Disease, Stress Urinary Incontinence, Low Back Pain, Degenerative Disk Disease & Degenerative Joint Disease.