MGM Healthcare (MGMH) on Nelson Manickam Road, Chennai, dedicated to starting a new era in healthcare, inaugurated the Institute of Bariatrics on June 11, 2019 in its technologically-advanced and state-of-the-art facility. The institute was inaugurated by legendary playback singer Padma Bhushan Dr SP Balasubrahmanyam in the presence of Dr Prashanth Rajagopalan, Director, MGM Healthcare, Dr Rahul Menon, Chief Executive Officer, and Dr Deepak Subramanian, Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead — Department of General, Minimal Access (Gastro) & Bariatric Surgery.
“There is a lack of awareness amongst some Indians that a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet lead to being overweight or obese, which leads to the increasing incidence of chronic diseases. Hence, there is an urgent need for educating our population on the risks posed by obesity. Many Indians do not even acknowledge obesity as a disease and are unaware that it directly correlates to chronic ailments such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia and coronary artery diseases. A person with a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese, and 40 and above is morbidly obese. We take in patients with a BMI of 33 and above for whom lifestyle modification and medications have not worked,” said Dr Deepak Subramanian, Senior Consultant and Clinical Lead — Department of General, Minimal Access (Gastro) & Bariatric Surgery.
The MGMH Institute of Bariatrics offers the latest in bariatric procedures such as endo-bariatric procedures like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, which is a new type of weight-loss procedure. The non-surgical endoscopic procedures ensure that patients have no post-surgical scars. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, a procedure that will benefit a large section of the population that lies in the BMI of 32 and over, is also an ideal procedure for patients who do not want a surgical solution for weight loss. At MGMH Institute of Bariatrics, the onus is not on obesity alone; it is also a resolution of its comorbidities. “We are constantly striving to bring the latest procedures to our patients and we offer all-round care in this super-specialty hospital,” said Dr Prashanth Rajagopalan, Director.
Despite the increasing awareness on health and fitness in our country these days, three crore Indians are still classified as obese. Several studies suggest that obesity is the highest amongst urban India across all age groups. As per the National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS 3), obesity is highest in Punjab (9%) followed by Delhi and Tamil Nadu (8%), with 28% of men and 30% of women in TN presenting with obesity. The percentage of obese adolescents is between 10% and 30% and the percentage of related health complications increases by 85% in obese children. Bariatric surgery, a procedure to reduce the size of the stomach by either putting in a gastric band or resecting a portion of the stomach, shows improvement in the condition in more than 85 per cent of the diabetic population and remission of the disease in 78 per cent. It is also an effective strategy to control hypertension – another comorbidity of obesity.
A large section of the female population in our country is battling infertility due to obesity and PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Due to hormonal fluctuations and an irregular lifestyle, it is becoming increasingly hard for women to lose weight, thus affecting ovulation and fertility. Sleep apnoea, another comorbidity, is one of the most common ailments in a majority of households, often unidentified. The symptoms include excessive snoring, sleeplessness and breathlessness while sleeping.
“At the Institute of Bariatrics, we offer a holistic approach towards tackling obesity; this may be through diet and exercise counselling, medications, endoscopic procedures and surgeries. At MGM Healthcare, we have a dedicated multi-disciplinary team of doctors, including qualified nutritionists, clinical psychologists, endocrinologists, medical gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists and anaesthesiologists, who work in tandem to provide excellent care,” said Dr Rahul Menon, CEO.
