Obesity surgery shows threefold rise over five years

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDApr 15 2012

There has been a threefold rise in Australians resorting to surgery to tackle their obesity. This has prompted the establishment of a registry to monitor the safety and effectiveness of weight-loss procedures.

Figures show that more than 15,000 “morbidly obese” Australians are undergoing bariatric surgery each year, compared with 5000 five years ago. Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand president Dr Lilian Kow said the new trans-Tasman registry would fill a “significant information gap” by tracking the performance of surgeons offering obesity procedures.

The registry would also monitor the devices used. Bariatric surgeons use banding to reduce the capacity of the patients stomach, remove part of the stomach or bypass a part of the stomach and bowel. “While procedures such as gastric banding and gastric bypass surgery can make patients feel full and satisfied with smaller meals, these people still need to avoid fatty foods and increase their exercise levels to enjoy the health benefits of long term weight loss,” she said.

Data collected would boost confidence in bariatric surgery, she said. “For many people, diet and exercise are simply not enough to combat obesity and reduce the risk of obesity and diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” Dr Kow said.

The Bariatric Surgical Registry, to be run by Monash University, is expected to be operating by this year end.