The higher the BMI of obese people, the higher the relative mortality rate! A 163kg fat man reduced his stomach size and lost 75kg in one year to save his life

Mr. Huang, 36 years old, from Kaohsiung City is a severely obese patient. His weight was as high as 163 kg and his BMI was as high as 54 kg/m2. He was diagnosed as "super obese". After seeking help from the E-DA Asia Obesity Medical Research Center, he underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy surgery with the support of his family. Within a year, I successfully lost 75 kilograms, which is equivalent to the weight of a man. Not only did I regain my health and get rid of sleep apnea and fatty liver, but I also corrected my lifestyle. My weight is still decreasing.

The number of severely obese people in Taiwan may exceed 500,000 by 2025! The higher the BMI of obese people, the higher the relative mortality rate

Song Tianzhou, director of the E-DA Asia Obesity Medical Research Center, said that weight loss and metabolic surgery is beneficial for disease treatment and is also an important driving force in reducing patients' risk of death. According to epidemiological statistics in Taiwan, the prevalence of severe obesity (BMI>35 kg/m2) was 1.6% in 2016. Based on this, it is estimated that by 2025, the number of severely obese people in Taiwan will exceed 500,000. The higher the BMI, the higher the mortality rate. When the weight reaches BMI>40 kg/m2, the mortality rate is more than twice that of the standard weight, and the risk value of other obesity-related diseases is 2-5 times!

If BMI≧50 kg/m2, it can be defined as "super obese"! Director Song Tianzhou pointed out that the surgical and anesthesia risks for this type of patients are higher than those for ordinary people, so good clinical management is required before, during and after the operation. The equipment requirements for obese patients are quite special, including: scales, operating tables, hospital beds, wheelchairs, bathroom equipment, etc. with sufficient carrying capacity, as well as larger-sized patient gowns, compression cuffs, measuring tapes, etc.

The preoperative assessment and examination items are also different from those for general weight loss patients, especially the anesthesia assessment is more rigorous, and attention should be paid to medication history, cardiopulmonary function, intraoperative patient positioning, vital signs monitoring, endotracheal intubation, etc. In clinical care, attention must also be paid to the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal system, skin system, etc., as well as dietary nutrition education during hospitalization and after surgery.

Attention obese people! Are you putting off dealing with your weight problem? The risk of developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea doubles

Director Song Tianzhou emphasized that obesity is associated with many diseases. According to many past statistics on the prevalence of chronic diseases in severe obesity and super obesity, the prevalence of hypertension is 42.5% for BMI>30 kg/m2, which is three times the standard weight; the mortality rate of patients with BMI>35 kg/m2 and hypertension due to cardiovascular disease is twice that of the standard weight; the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) for BMI>40 kg/m2 is 7.07 times that of the standard weight.

When BMI>50 kg/m2, the ratio of non-alcoholic hepatitis to liver fibrosis is relatively high; when BMI>40 kg/m2, the relative risk of mortality is 2.51 times. Earlier data showed that for BMI>40 kg/m2, the relative risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea is more than 5 times that of normal weight.

Obesity is an important issue in global public health. The National Health Administration has lowered the indications for bariatric metabolic surgery. Those with these two conditions can undergo a one-time bariatric metabolic surgery.

Finally, Director Song Tianzhou also mentioned that obesity is one of the important issues in the world’s public health agenda, and the extreme obesity that follows will be the most serious challenge in the future. Starting from May 1 this year, the National Health Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan lowered the indications for weight loss metabolic surgery to include patients with a BMI of 32.5 kg/m2 and concurrent diabetes or two or more comorbid obesity diseases.

Alternatively, a BMI of 37.5 kg/m2 meets the criteria of "morbid obesity" and these patients can be restored to a healthy standard weight range through a one-time bariatric metabolic surgery. For those who are "super obese" with a BMI of 50 or above, the risk of surgery is relatively high and it is recommended that they seek treatment from a professional and well-equipped hospital and medical team.