Carrying extra pounds has gone from being a concern for some to becoming a serious public health problem, as the number of people suffering from obesity is increasing every day.
As time goes by, more and more treatments or alternatives are emerging that promise to put an end to the problem. Even our health regimen supports surgery as a solution for patients who are very overweight. But does it always work for all cases? Is the scalpel the only option for those who have tried everything and continue to gain weight?
To clarify any doubts on this topic, **EL NUEVO SIGLO** spoke with **Andrés Gómez, Director of Plastic Surgery at the Clínica Colombiana de Obesidad y Metabolismo.**
THE NEW CENTURY: What does a comprehensive treatment for obesity consist of?
ANDRÉS GÓMEZ:
A comprehensive treatment for obesity consists of searching for and identifying metabolic alterations that cause hormonal blockages, providing the appropriate treatment for these alterations and combining it with a specific diet. Additionally, laser lipolysis can be performed for more comprehensive management.
ENS: What causes or predisposes to obesity? Is it just a matter of people who eat excessively?
AG: There are various metabolic alterations that can cause obesity; infectious, bacterial, hormonal and nutritional. The latter is not conditioned as the only factor that causes obesity since there are people who do not eat much and get fat.
ENS: What is the diagnostic process for a patient who comes to the clinic and wants to lose weight?
AG: The diagnostic process for a patient with obesity is through a series of very complete blood and urine tests, with which we will identify the alterations.
ENS: In which cases is surgery the only solution?
AG: Surgery to manage obesity should be performed on patients with abundant adipose tissue, but it must be combined with metabolic management and treatment, since the skin can be toned due to rapid and excessive loss, since the laser generates a stimulus to obtain a percentage of retraction in the skin.
ENS: Who are good candidates for surgery and who are not?
AG: Good candidates for laser lipolysis surgery are those patients who, although obese, do not have any history of diseases that could represent a surgical risk.
ENS: What does metabolic control consist of?
AG: Post-surgical metabolic control consists of monitoring the patient so that over time he or she does not regain the fat or weight lost after surgery and the post-operative process. It has to do with ensuring that the patient not only has an adequate weight but also maintains it.
ENS: Are there procedures designed and implemented for children with obesity?
AG: Management for children with obesity is based more on identifying eating habits in their daily routine, as well as physical activity. Likewise, we seek to find alterations that are blocking their metabolism.
ENS: General recommendations regarding the disease and for those who have already undergone obesity treatments.
AG: The general recommendations for obese patients are to strictly follow the indicated treatment, carry out the three nutritional stages to avoid a “rebound effect”, start cardiovascular activity and do appropriate exercises according to the stage of treatment.