About Obesity

Before considering weight loss surgery it is necessary to understand as much about obesity and the health risks that go along with it as possible. Here at Streamline Surgical we know that there is no single formula that makes a person obese, with physical and emotional factors often contributing in differing degrees. Every patient has different needs that require different solutions, but one thing that they all have in common is a need to understand what obesity is, what causes it and what the implications of it are.

What is obesity? On the most technical level obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index of over 30kg/m2. It is a global epidemic that is affecting both developed and underdeveloped countries, and is considered to be one of the leading preventable causes of death throughout the world.

What causes obesity? The primary cause of obesity is an imbalance between calorie intake and calorie expenditure. Whilst we all need calories to give us energy to get through the day, any calories that we don’t expend become stored over time as fat cells. Having said that, there are innumerable other factors that can all contribute to weight gain, including genetics, sociological, technological, environmental causes, as well as individual drivers.

Implications of obesity include a significantly increased level of morbidity and in the most extreme cases it can be highly disabling and lead to premature mortality. Obese individuals have a much-increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, and other symptoms such as high blood pressure, heart disease and arthritis are all common conditions. Life expectancy can also be significantly reduced by obesity.

Benefits of weight loss are different for every patient, but can range from the emotional such as increased confidence and a willingness to socialise more, to the physical, such as being able to play with your children or grand children, or even something as basic as being able to get around more easily.

Understanding your BMI is important when considering weight loss surgery. Designed to give an accurate assessment of weight-related health risks, it is an estimate of body fat using your height and weight as indicators. If your BMI is over 25kg/m2 you are considered to be overweight and therefore risk weight-related health problems.

Facts & Figures on the number of cases of obesity in the UK and using sources such as the 2007 Health Survey for England and the World Health Organisation website are collated here. These facts and figures are designed to give a broad range of information about the epidemiology of obesity.

Here at Streamline Surgical we have tried to gather together as much useful and relevant information as possible to help you to understand obesity and the weight loss surgeries that are available. In addition to this, our In the news section gathers together the latest articles and research on the obesity and our Useful links section provides direct links to sites we believe will provide you with as much up-to-date and relevant information as possible.