Is Bariatric Surgery safe in Childhood?
The complete ecosystem in which children are conceived, born and raised is responsible for childhood obesity. Bariatric surgery is performed to change the body metabolism which is root cause of obesity and various other diseases associated with it like diabetes, blood pressure, knee pain, etc.
What is childhood obesity?
Obesity is curse at any stage of life, but the worst of them all is childhood obesity. Childhood obesity restrains a child from living his life to the fullest. In the era of junk food, the number of overweight kids is continuously rising.
With modernization, children usually spend most of their time in playing video games, surfing internet and watching television. A drop in the activity level and an unmonitored diet plan leads to obesity in children apart from genetic factors. Children whose parents or siblings are obese are at an increased risk of becoming obese. Childhood obesity is not incurable; it can be treated with bariatric surgery, proper care and precaution.
Effects of obesity on children
Childhood obesity can have a long lasting impact on the child, like:
- Insulin resistance
- Development of heart diseases
- Degenerative joint diseases
- Psychological disorders
- Sleep apnea
- Some cancers
- Disabilities
- Hampers quality of life
To overcome all these medical conditions emerging as a result of obesity it is essential to treat obesity. Bariatric surgery is the surgical cure for obesity, doctors usually go for surgery when children become extremely obese and nothing else seems to work.
How safe is bariatric surgery for children?
Childhood obesity is a complex medical condition that drastically amplifies the risk of various co-morbidities associated to obesity. Perhaps the child may have tried various weight loss measures without success. Bariatric surgery is a safe medical procedure that can help overweight kids in achieving healthier life and manageable weight when combined with several lifestyle changes.
At Mohak Bariatrics and Robotics, Dr. Mohit Bhandari has performed bariatric surgery on a 6-year-old boy in 2013, the youngest person on record to receive such surgery in India. He has also performed bariatric surgery on many teenager patients. To book an appointment with Dr. Mohit Bhandari, click here.