Weight-Loss Surgery Gaining Popularity
Times Online, 5th April 2009
Public awareness and willingness to look good have made weight-loss surgery very popular over the last years. There were 72% more weight-loss procedures in the last months, than a year earlier. Also private clinics notice a boom proceeding twice as more operations. One of the private hospital chains carried 800 weight-loss procedures within five months.
Patients are more aware of the health risks connected with obesity: diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease. The problem is even more serious after studies showing obesity being a growing epidemic in the UK.
Patients are concerned for both: their appearances and health. Doctors explain that such a growth in the weight-loss surgery is due to procedures being new and having more potential for rapid growth.
NHS had performed 2,724 weight-loss surgeries in 2008 which is 36% more that in 2007. Also hospital admissions for obesity-related problems were 30% more common. The UK’s biggest obesity-related issue is type 2 diabetes.
There were about 8,000 weight-loss surgeries in 2008, worth £30 million, which is five times more that five years ago. The NHS is the most popular weight-loss surgery provider that operates on patients in most need of weight-loss.
