India has witnessed a three-fold increase in bariatric surgery in the last five years, according to Mumbai-based doctors and experts.
The spike in surgeries is an indication of the "obesity pandemic" not only in India but globally, they said.
After the easing of lockdown restrictions, a large number of international patients have come to India for weight-loss surgeries from the Middle East -- Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Dubai -- Africa, the United States and the United Kingdom. Indians in the age group of 18-65 are in the grip of obesity and tend to suffer from other serious comorbidities.
It is the need of the hour to adopt healthy lifestyle practices to maintain an optimum weight. Weight-loss surgeries are a boon when options such as diet and exercise fail.
“The obesity population is growing by leaps and bounds. Anybody with BMI above 30 with or without any comorbidities can undergo bariatric surgery. Comorbidities include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, sleep apnoea, and more benefit from bariatric surgery. Not only in India, but the surgery is quite popular among international patients too,” said Dr Manish Motwani, Chief Bariatric Surgeon, Aastha Bariatrics-Centre of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
“Bariatric Surgery can be life-changing for those who want to lose weight. As this surgery is performed laparoscopic, the patient does not feel any pain. Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass (GBP) surgery is a surgical procedure that involves the creation of a gastric pouch and is performed to yield significant and long-lasting weight loss in patients who are severely obese. Bariatric surgeries' success rate is approximately 80-90 per cent. Earlier, people were afraid to undergo this surgery. But, after the lockdown, many people are asking to get this surgery done on their own initiative,” said Dr Sanjay Borude, Bariatric Surgeon, Sion Hospital.
“With the increase in sedentary lifestyles, the pandemic of obesity has increased right under our noses. There is a three-times rise in people opting for bariatric surgery compared to 2017. Post-Covid pandemic, there was an increase in foreign patients coming to our centre from 4 per cent to 9.6 per cent. Middle East – Saudi, Yemen, Syria -- and Africa, and many more. Overseas patients from West Asia and Africa seeking bariatric surgery are also steadily increasing,” said Dr Motwani.
According to him, healthcare services are more affordable in India than in other countries. International patients usually come for surgeries as the expertise is not available in their countries.
“We also see young patients with excess weight, hypertension, knee pain, and diabetes. The number of people visiting the centre has increased to 30.4 per cent in the age group of 18 to 65 years. During the pandemic, it was estimated that 78 per cent of hospitalised Covid-19 patients were obese or overweight, which had a significant impact. Weight loss surgeries are safe, and effective and will not only help you look better but also manage all the comorbidities,” added Dr Motwani.