Obesity is a serious disease that does not happen exclusively to adults. According to Indonesia's Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) in 2013, 18.8% children from 5 to 12 years old are overweight, and 10.8% of them are obese.
Marlyn C. Malonda, a pediatric from RS OMNI Alam Sutera stated that obesity can impair children’s growth. Furthermore, obese children have a chance of staying obese well into adulthood.
Managing obesity in children requires a series of treatment, including prescribed medication and change in lifestyle. Regular exercise and healthier diet are crucial to overcome obesity. There are also severe cases that require surgical intervention. The decision is usually made when previous treatments have failed; the child has passed puberty; or there are complications from other systemic disease.
Bariatric surgery commonly involves gastric bypass, a procedure that results in a smaller-sized stomach pouch, which facilitates only a small amount of food. It helps the patient to lose weight and eventually treats obesity. Bariatric surgery is a common procedure in highly developed countries because of its effectivity and long lasting effect.
According to Handy Wing, a surgeon from RS OMNI Alam Sutera, bariatric surgery is the golden standard in treating morbid obesity. The procedure also helps to control diabetes type 2. Despite that, many obese patients in Indonesia are not yet aware of this treatment option yet.
Bariatric surgery is done using a minimally invasive laparascopy technique. It requires only three or four 1 cm sized incisions. Post surgery pain and scarring will be minimal. Having said that, it is important to see bariatric surgery as a serious procedure with risk of complications.
Text by Denistya Sagita
Stock photos from Huffington Post
Source(s):
- https://www.omni-hospitals.com/bedah- bariatrik-di- indonesia
- https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery- procedures