What is morbid obesity?
Morbid obesity is a reality that affects millions of people around the world, and the incidence in Spain is increasingly on the rise due to the sedentary habits of the population. Understanding its dimensions will allow for the correct approach to each case. Here you will understand what morbid obesity is, its causes, associated risks, and the surgical and/or treatment options that are available to the patient.
Causes of Morbid Obesity
There are multiple factors that can lead a person to suffer from this disease. There may be a genetic component, the environment of the people we live with, eating habits, and the level of physical activity. Understanding what the causes are and how the patient reaches this level is essential to design an integrated approach that allows for the medical treatment to be personalized, whether through surgery or any other alternative.
Associated Risks
It may seem that morbid obesity only affects physical appearance, but that is far from the truth; it also significantly increases the possibility of developing serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, and other conditions. In addition, the weight burden on the musculoskeletal system can also lead to problems such as osteoarthritis.
Treatment Options
To address morbid obesity, it must be done by a specialist Doctor who will allow understanding of the case and offer a personalized approach. The first thing the patient has at their disposal is to change their lifestyle and be treated with supervised diets that allow improving the quality of life. Intervention is the solution to morbid obesity since it is the most effective way to end the problem. Among the surgeries, the Gastric Sleeve stands out as it has proven to be an effective long-term intervention in the most severe cases of obesity.
Importance of Medical Care
Morbid obesity should not be underestimated or approached only from an aesthetic perspective. The patient must seek medical guidance from professionals in bariatric surgery. These specialists will provide all the necessary information, evaluation plans, diets, surgeries, and the most effective treatments.
What does the patient need to take into account?
Morbid obesity is a complex medical condition with evident and significant health consequences. Beyond understanding the causes that have led the patient to this situation, it is important to understand what health risks are associated, what treatment options (mainly surgeries), and other issues that serve to improve the quality of life and well-being of the patient.
To address each case, it must be analyzed integrally, with the appropriate support both medically and from family, and by seeking effective measures that make the patient change their life. Today, it is in the hands of the patient to receive information from professionals, to know the available options, and thus to overcome morbid obesity.
What is obesity?
Dr. Hernández Pérez defines this concept for us.