Medical procedures an option for treating severe obesity

People who are severely obese rarely find diet, exercise and medication alone are effective in the long term and may need to look to medical procedures as an effective treatment, according to a Wellington physician.

Dr Richard Stubbs, from the Wakefield Gastroenterology Centre, was speaking at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians' annual scientific meeting today in Wellington.

"Severe obesity (body mass index of over 35) drastically impacts on an individual's quality of life and length of life. Severe obesity is becoming a huge burden for society and the health system in both direct and indirect economic terms," Dr Stubbs said.

"Dieting and exercise rarely work alone for severely obese individuals and if they do work the results may not endure. While medication is moderately successful and improving it is not capable of achieving the degree of weight loss required by these severely obese individuals. Therefore, we need to look to medical procedures as one of the best method of long term weight loss for the severely obese."

"Medical procedures for obesity have dramatically improved in terms of safety and results since its beginnings in the 1950s. New Zealand doctors use a mix of gastric bypass procedures and gastric banding procedures. In Australia, the simpler gastric banding procedure has been preferred and is more commonly used," Dr Stubbs said.

"With the 'Fobi pouch gastric bypass', the operation provides substantial and enduring weight loss together with a cure for some 85 per cent of patients with type 2 diabetes and around 60 per cent of patients with hypertension. Like all surgery, there are risks involved but the operation can now be achieved with high levels of safety and success."

"As the safety of these procedures and their effectiveness have improved, more people should look to it as a viable treatment for severe obesity", he asserted.

"Evidence shows that after a procedure a patient's life is extended by as much as 10 to 15 years. Furthermore, considerable medium and long term savings can be made by the Government and health sector as a result of patients' decreased reliance on health services."