The best treatments to win the battle against obesity

There are many people who are fighting a battle with obesity, a disease affects both physical and mental health. Day-to-day activities that are presumed to be simple, turn into a nightmare.

Since 1975 , obesity rates in the world have tripled, resulting in more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 and over being overweight in 2016 . Of those 1.9 billion, nearly 650 million suffered from obesity . Globally, overweight and obesity are linked to a higher number of deaths than underweight. In general, there are more obese people than underweight.

One of the root causes of overweight and obesity is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and expended. This is due to the fact that worldwide there has been: an increase in the intake of foods with a high caloric content, rich in fat; and that physical activity has decreased due to an increasingly sedentary life of the population.

In this situation, various treatments are recommended, which will be chosen depending on the level of overweight suffered by the patient.

Bariatric surgeries to combat obesity and overweight

In the case of patients who come with a body mass index (BMI) above 35, bariatric surgery is recommended as a treatment for morbid obesity.

There are two types of bariatric surgeries; Gastric Sleeve Surgery and Gastric Bypass surgery .

The first technique is performed laparoscopically, the stomach is compartmentalized without deviation of the food from normal intestinal circulation, reducing it by approximately 70% of its capacity and decreasing the production of ghrelin (appetite regulating hormone) causing the patient’s appetite to decrease. .

In the second technique, gastric bypass, the digestive system is modified laparoscopically. The goal is to create a small stomach that is “connected” directly to the small intestine, thereby reducing the amount of food eaten. The patient feels satiated sooner, and a part of the small intestine is bypassed, which decreases caloric and nutrient absorption. This treatment shows a 65-75% excess weight loss at 5 years of follow-up .

Fight overweight without the need for surgery

Stomach reduction to lose weight has proven to be one of the safest and most effective procedures to regain a good figure in the medium and long term. It is indicated in patients between the ages of 18 and 60 who have a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30, or in those with a BMI equal to or greater than 40.

One of these treatments consists of a method by which a specialist folds the lower stomach area to reduce its natural volume by 80% in most cases, which undoubtedly stimulates weight loss almost immediately. This treatment is called the POSE Method.

Another of the treatments to lose weight without surgery, in which a stomach reduction is also performed, is the gastric or intragastric balloon. In this method, the specialist introduces a gastric balloon , through the esophagus (by endoscopy), which will be filled with saline. This gastric balloon remains housed in the stomach for 6 months (or 12 months adjustable) in which the patient leads an absolutely normal life.

Keys to fighting obesity

All these treatments require personal responsibility, in which patients are strict with changes in lifestyle. Many studies have shown that the best results are obtained by those patients who commit to this change.

This commitment will increase the likelihood of successful weight loss and long-term weight maintenance . Lack of exercise, meals with poor nutritional balance, constant food consumption, ingesting processed carbohydrates and drinking carbonated beverages are some of the most common reasons for gaining weight again.