Young people with obesity, weight loss, gastrectomy, and diabetes

Obesity has become the public enemy, especially morbid obesity which can easily lead to diabetes and its complications and should not be taken lightly. Xiaohui (pseudonym), a 25-year-old young woman, weighs nearly 100 kilograms. She suffers from diabetes and needs to take insulin to control her blood sugar. On the advice of a doctor, she underwent gastrectomy and weight loss surgery. After the surgery, she lost nearly 30 kilograms and her glycosylated hemoglobin dropped from 11 to more than 6 points, a normal value. She no longer needs to take medicine or take insulin to control her blood sugar.

Dr. Yin Wenyao (pictured) said that if blood sugar is poorly controlled for a long time, sleeve gastrectomy can bring blood sugar under control. (Photo courtesy of Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital)

Dr. Yin Wen-yao from the Department of General Surgery at Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital said that in addition to affecting social interaction due to appearance, obesity can also cause harm to health. Many data show that the three high problems caused by obesity, namely high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high blood sugar, pose a threat to health, especially to young obese people, who need to bear the risk of stroke, diabetes and other diseases earlier than the average person.

The causes of obesity in young people come from genetics + diet

Basically, obesity is largely due to family genetics and eating habits. Statistics show that if both parents are obese, 50% to 80% of their children will be obese; if one of the parents is obese, 40% of the children will be obese; if both parents are of normal weight, the children have only a 7% chance of being obese. Moreover, the closer a person is to adulthood while still obese, the greater the chance that he or she will become an obese adult in the future.

Xiaohui discovered that she had diabetes five years ago. She was only 20 years old at the time, and she was very depressed at the thought of having to take injections and medication to control her blood sugar for the rest of her life. From oral medication to insulin injections, Xiaohui's blood sugar was still out of control, and her glycosylated hemoglobin was as high as 11. As Xiaohui weighed nearly 100 kilograms and her BMI was nearly 40, the doctor recommended that she undergo a gastrectomy to lose excess weight.

50% of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese, so it is recommended that young obese people should eat 5 kinds of fruits and vegetables every day and exercise more on weekdays.

Morbid obesity requires surgery for weight loss

Dr. Yin Wenyao emphasized that, generally speaking, non-invasive treatment is sufficient for young people who are overweight or slightly obese. However, for those who are morbidly obese or have a BMI greater than 35 but have chronic diseases, if diet and exercise alone are no longer enough to control the situation, they may need to consider the suitability of weight loss surgery.

Especially in cases of morbid obesity, surgery may be considered to help reduce weight. There are several ways to shrink the stomach, including banding, balloon surgery and sleeve resection. Xiaohui underwent sleeve resection, which removes 2/3 to 3/4 of the stomach, making the entire stomach smaller, reducing food intake, and lowering the patient's weight, which can prevent complications of obesity.

Sleeve gastrectomy can remove fat and sugar

In fact, recently many diabetic patients have had poor blood sugar control for a long time. They have undergone sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass surgery to reduce their food intake and improve their gastrointestinal hormones, so that their blood sugar can be controlled. They only need to take a small amount of medication. Some people's blood sugar has even returned to normal and they no longer need to use blood sugar medication.

Clinical statistics show that 50% of patients with type 2 diabetes are obese. Therefore, it is recommended that young obese people should eat 5 kinds of fruits and vegetables every day and exercise more often to lose fat and sugar and stay healthy. In fact, it has been nearly a year since the surgery. With proper diet and exercise, Xiaohui's blood sugar has gradually been brought under control and she no longer needs to take medication or inject insulin.

[Doctor's advice]:

Although surgery has its risks, it is a last resort for weight loss. If obesity causes long-term poor control of blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar and other problems, and weight loss cannot be achieved through other methods, you can consider surgical treatment. Currently, all surgeries are performed laparoscopically or even single-port laparoscopically, with small wounds and fast recovery, which can help patients recover their health as soon as possible, making weight loss surgery convenient and safe.