The incidence of obesity is growing in India due to lifestyle changes and more cases are found in women than men, according to Y. Krishna Mohan, surgical gastroenterologist and bariatric surgeon.
Dr. Mohan was here from Hyderabad to hold a continued medical education programme for about 150 doctors here on Sunday.
He told reporters that consumption of protein rich food and less containing carbohydrates was required for maintaining good health. On an average, one needs 1200 to 1400 calories a day. Going by body mass index (BMI), degree of obesity in a person could be decided, he stated.
He said 19 per cent women in the State were suffering from obesity. The incidence was 17 per cent among men. According to data compiled by National Family Health India, Punjab tops in obese population and AP ranks fifth among all the States in the country.
Dr. Mohan said for people weighing 40 kg more than their average weight as per BMI would get good relief if they go for bariatric surgery through gastric bending, laproscopic sleeve surgery or laproscopic gastric bypass. He claimed that such surgery would also give relief from type II diabetes and secondary hypertension. The expert, who runs Leads Medical Centre, said for certain obesity patients, bariatric surgery was the only realistic treatment.
