Obesity is a medical condition in which a person is deemed overweight due to the accumulation of excess body fat. It should be noted here that, only the weight gain that is caused due to excess fat is termed as obesity, and not the weight gain caused due to extra muscles and bone density, or weight gain caused due to prevalent medical conditions.
What Causes Obesity? Careless and irregular eating habits primarily cause obesity, and overeating is the main cause too. When a number of calories consumed is higher than a number of calories burned, the excess fat tends to accumulate in the body.
Minimal or no physical activity also causes obesity, as the food that is consumed is not utilized entirely. Extensive research in this field has provided obesity treatment options that can help in fighting this widespread condition. A little bit of effort towards maintaining a good and balanced diet, along with regular exercises, can help in keeping obesity at bay. However, in some people, framing a diet and fitness regime may not make any difference. In such cases, medical intervention is necessary to keep a check on the weight gain.
Obesity treatment procedures can be classified as surgical and non-surgical. Non-surgical procedures are usually diet and fitness plans that result in weight loss. Here are some of the non-surgical treatment options.
Intragastric Balloon This is a non-surgical procedure in which a soft expandable silicone balloon is inserted into the stomach, and this helps in reducing the size of the stomach. The reduced consumption of food then leads to weight loss. The balloon is placed in the stomach via endoscopy, through the mouth. The popular surgical procedures have been discussed below.
Laparoscopic Gastric Banding A restrictive type procedure, this is the common method that’s used widely. In this procedure, a band is tied around the stomach, and this reduces the intake of food due to the reduction in the size of the stomach, ultimately resulting in weight loss. Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy This is a simple procedure in which a part of the stomach is stapled to reduce its size. The part which produces the hormone that stimulates hunger is removed. This makes the person feel full, even when only fluids are consumed.
Laparoscopic Roux En Y Gastric Bypass The upper part of the stomach is stapled to reduce the stomach size, and thereby reducing the intake of food. The larger part of the stomach and the small intestine are bypassed in this procedure. Gastric Imbrication This is a laparoscopic procedure that is less invasive and yet effective.
In this procedure, three tiny cuts are made in the abdomen, and the stomach is folded over itself and stitched. Though there are different types of obesity treatments, their success depends on the person involved too. Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, with regular physical exercise, is the best way to keep a tab over weight gain and stay away from obesity treatment.