At BMI camp, 50% need urgent aid to lose weight

Obese patients in the state is not a surprise for the doctors. But at a free body mass index (BMI) camp organised by DMCH today, 50 per cent of the patients needed the doctors' urgent help to control weight in order to lead a normal and healthy life, The remaining 50 per cent needed diet care and exercise to stay fit.

Giving details of the camp, DMCH Obesity Surgery Specialist Dr Ashish Ahuja said, "The normal BMI must be between 18 and 25 kg/ sq m but about 45 per cent of the patients at this camp had a BMI above 40 kg/ sq m while the 5 per cent had a BMI above 50kg/ sq m. We define as morbid obese patients whose BMI crosses 40 while super obese are those patients with a BMI above 50. Both categories need urgent medical help and we showed them patients who are leading a normal life after bariatric surgery." He added that all the patients were from Punjab and were enthusiastic to shed their extra kilos and lead a healthy life-style.

Dr Ahuja noted that Punjab is already one of the country's leading states in obesity; so such results are expected at camps. The obese patients also suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problem and many other problems. The rest of the patients too were advised special diet care followed by regular exercise.

Apart from the camp, a seminar was also conducted. During the seminar, lectures were delivered by obesity specialist Dr P S Nain, medical specialist Dr Rajesh Mahajan, endocrinologist Dr Mani Kant Singla, chief dietician Ritu Sudhakar and dietician Pooja Sharma

During the lectures, it was stressed that obesity affects all the systems of the body as it causes diabetes, blood pressure, joint pains, heart attacks, sleeping disorders. For every 10 kg excess body weight, the life span of a normal adult decreases by three years. It was advised that one should always maintain the right diet and exercise regularly to keep the body healthy. If nothing else works, bariatric surgery should be considered an option to lose weight, advised Dr Ahuja.

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