‘India 2nd largest nation with childhood obesity by 2025’

“The World Health Organisation has coined the term ‘Diabesity’ to underline the health hazard of the combination of obesity and diabetes. The greatest threat is to our future generations. If we don’t act methodically against obesity, India will be the second largest country in the world suffering from childhood obesity problem by 2025,” Dr Jayshree Todkar, Organising Secretary of IFSO-APC 2017 (International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders), told The Sunday Guardian in an exclusive telephonic interview from Goa. This is the first time India has hosted such a big conference on diabesity. Nearly 700 experts from 18 countries, including Australia, USA, China, many European countries, have travelled to Goa to participate in the event.

Currently, obesity is the second largest avoidable cause of death in the world. In India, 25 million people are suffering from advanced stages of obesity and its complications. “We need 12 to 14 experts to treat every 1 Lakh patients. But currently we have a resource pool of only 5,000 expert doctors,” Dr Todkar said.

The international Congress has focused on training doctors and nutritionists during the three-day conference from Friday to Sunday. Since they form the first layer which deals with these patients, the organisers decided to target them. “There are so many advances in the field of treatment of obesity. But there is barely any awareness about obesity as a disease. Many people, including doctors, think of obesity in a very cosmetic way. They only look at the external factors like looks which get affected due to obesity,” she said.

Talking about the deadly combination of diabetes and obesity, she said, “Obesity and diabetes are a fatal combination. They are two sides of the same coin. Due to this combination, life is reduced by at least 10 years. It comes as a silent, chronic disease. Mostly, patients turn to doctors at a very later stage. It is an overt expression. It leads to lot of multiple organ failures. The complications of any disease including diseases like pneumonia get worse if combined with diabetes and obesity,” Dr Todkar said.

Currently, obesity is the second largest avoidable cause of death in the world. In India, 25 million people are suffering from advanced stages of obesity and its complications. 

During the international conference, experts discussed latest advances about prevention, diagnosis, community screening, definition of obesity, how ethnicity impacts obesity, clinical factors, metabolism and physiology of a person, her habits, food patterns. All these things have an impact on obesity prevention and treatment. 

According to doctors, any Asian Indian individual with a BMI of more than 32.5, and with any obesity-related diseases like hypertension, diabetes, fatty liver, kidney problem, joint problem, heart problem, hormonal imbalances, high cholesterol, can be termed as “obese”.

BARIATRIC SURGERY: SOME – MISCONCEPTIONS

Dr Todkar said that a common misconception about bariatric surgeries is that the doctors cut stomachs, patients start eating less, and the weight is reduced. “No, this is a much complex procedure. Though the operation is in the stomach and the intestine, the impact is on the brain – the appetite centres, the satiety centre, the craving pattern and the starvation signal. Once we operate, it gives rise to modification of signals from intestines to the brain. Then, the tissues start saving and conserving energy. If the units of consumption fall, you burn less and save more. The brain is governed by intestinal signals. Consumption unit failure is improved after bariatric surgery.” She claimed that advanced stages of obesity had to be dealt with surgically. Doctors have said that the urban lifestyle, coupled with lack of understanding of obesity and a cosmetic understanding of obesity, have led to increased cases of obesity in the country.