Here’s An Opinion On:
Age and bariatric surgery
by
AndresB
There is no need for complex studies to establish that the proportion of the U.S. population aged 65 or over is increasing and more and more of these people are overweight or obese. We can see that every day with our own eyes. In fact more than one-third of the elderly population was obese in 2010. The main cause that led to this situation is our more efficient healthcare system that allows people to live longer. Unfortunately the same system is less efficient in handling obesity related issues.
How elderly obesity will affect us
We do know that obesity increases the risk of several potentially life threatening medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes and that these conditions shorten a person s life expectancy. However this is only true for younger patients. Elderly obesity makes to substantial differences in risk of death, except the case of severely obese patients.
On the other hand obesity does contribute to increased disabilities in later life. The higher the person s BMI the more likely he or she will face mobility issues impairing everyday tasks. Both aging and obesity involve a higher use of healthcare services. If both are combined, the pressure on the health and social services might become huge. The problem is only worsened by the fact that the number of older adults is expected to double by 2050, reaching an estimated number of 88.5 million.
Available solutions
One might think further investing in bariatric surgery could be a more efficient and less expensive solution. Unfortunately that is not the case. Bariatric surgery is not recommended for older adults, as the risk of complications is substantially higher. Men and patients with previous heart failure are especially at risk of developing:
Gastrointestinal complications
Lung problems
Heart problems
Besides the fact that bariatric surgery in patients over 65 has a higher death rate, older patients tend to lose less weight and the improvement of their overall health is insignificant. So if bariatric surgery is not a recommended option, what choices do elderly patients have?
Regular physical activity is available and beneficial for all age groups. There is no need of trying out strict new diets or to join a gym. Simply spending time in the open air, walking a dog or riding a bike with friends will help staying fitter and physically stronger and enjoying those extra years that were given to us.
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com