Diabesity On The Rise

Obesity has an intimate relationship with diabetes. It has given rise to a new epidemic in India called…

A study published in the International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries emphasises that diabetes cases are fast growing in India - from 37.6 million cases in 2004, to 41 million in 2007, and an estimated 80.9 million by 2030. A Lancet study further breaks these figures down to 9.8 million obese men and 20 million obese women. These are not numbers to ignore.

As a bariatric surgeon, I am approached by both obese and morbidly obese patients who are ridden with a host of related diseases. The most common one is diabetes.

Obesity

Let’s start by understanding what obesity is. It is a progressive, life-threatening condition which is caused by excess accumulation of body fat. Genetics, hormones and, in some cases, other illnesses can trigger obesity. It is also caused by unhealthy lifestyle choices, high stress levels and low physical fitness levels – all of which can be reversed at any point. I have to add here that for the medical fraternity, what is also worrying is the rise in childhood obesity. Kids have to be encouraged to exercise and parents must restrict – if not ban – processed food.

What is diabetes?