The rise in weight loss surgery: Tenfold increase in a decade

By Brandie Umar - Executive Director of Content | August 27th, 2010

The number of people undergoing weight loss surgery in the United Kingdom is small compared to figures for the USA, yet in the past decade a tenfold increase in weight loss surgery has been seen. The majority of these patients have been provided with bariatric treatment paid for by the national health service.

Weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, combines two surgical methods to aid weight loss. The first method is to restrict the size of the stomach pouch to ensure patients feel satiated after eating less food; the second is speeding up digestion of food to limit the number of calories the body absorbs from meals. One or both of these bariatric techniques, known medically as restritive and malabsorptive elements of weight loss surgery, are employed for all bariatric surgical procedures.

One of the reasons for the drastic increase in weight loss surgery figures is the development of surgical techniques. Many bariatric procedures are now performed laparoscopically, reducing surgical risks and recovery time. Other procedures such as gastric balloon require no surgical procedure at all. Simultaneously, research into the benefits of bariatric weight loss surgery has shown the significant benefits weight loss surgery procedures can have on a patients overall health. Gastric bypass in particular has been proven to reduce the symptoms of

diabetes linked to obesity and can lower the risks of obesity related heart disease. Additionally, bariatric surgeons are increasingly recommending weight loss surgery for adolescents as well as adult patients.

According to the British Medical Journal, more than 2,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in 2007, compared to just over 200 in the year 2000. These figures bring Britain's medical attitude to tackling obesity more in line with European countries France and Germany as well as the United States.

For more information about weight loss surgery options see here or to discuss your surgery options, contact a weight-loss surgeon.