Bodrum American Hospital General Surgery Specialist Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özdoğan said that it is estimated that 2050 percent of adults and 60 percent of children will be obese by 31.
Stating that Türkiye is one of the countries with a growing risk of obesity and where the overweight population is increasing most rapidly, Özdoğan said that the surgical solution to the problem has also gained importance.
Emphasizing that obesity is growing exponentially all over the world and that thousands of people are naturally candidates for obesity surgery every year, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özdoğan said, “As is the case all over the world, obesity has become a major public health problem for our country as well. According to the World Health Organization data, Turkey is the first country in Europe in terms of obesity. The high-calorie, unhealthy diet brought about by modern life and the fact that exercise and sports are rarely included in our lives are the most important reasons for the increase in obesity. The most commonly used criterion in the indications for obesity surgery is the body mass index. The normal BMI value is between 20 and 25. People with a value above 30 are considered “obese”, those above 40 are considered “morbidly obese”, and those above 50 are considered “super obese”.”
SURGERY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
Özdoğan, who also emphasized that surgery alone is not the solution, said: “The pre- and post-operative period is equally important. After obesity surgery, acquiring new eating and nutritional habits and exercising under the supervision of a dietician are extremely important for the success and permanence of the surgery. We want patients who undergo obesity surgery to remain under the supervision of a dietician and medical follow-up for at least 1 year. The risk of obesity surgery is as high as the risk of any appendicitis or gallbladder surgery. Considering that morbidly obese patients live 6-8 years less than people of normal weight, the risk of obesity surgery is much lower than the risks of living as morbidly obese.”
THE WEIGHT LOSS PERIOD LASTS ABOUT 12 MONTHS
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özdoğan continued his words as follows: “After laparoscopic obesity surgery, our patients stay in the hospital for 2 days. After discharge, it is recommended to return to work after a 2-3 day rest. We recommend a 4-week transition diet to our patients after the surgery. During the liquid/soup and puree period, we provide protein and vitamin support to our patients, who are guided by our dietician, for the first month. The weight loss process after obesity surgery continues for approximately 12 months. Our expectation is for patients to lose 35-40% of their weight. In patients who can make the necessary nutritional and lifestyle changes after the surgery, weight gain will not occur again.”
