Weight Loss Surgery & BMI - The Surgical Weight Loss Centre

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Weight Loss Surgery Its not just about the
Surgery
Obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading
cause of premature death and illness in
Australia. Obesity has become the single biggest
threat to public health in Australia. The
obesity crisis is not on its way it is already
here. Obesity is no longer considered just a
cosmetic issue, brought on by a lack of self-
discipline. It is a complex condition with
biological, genetic, behavioural, social,
cultural, and environmental influences. The human
body is made to survive in situations where food
is scarce and high physical activity is the norm.
However, in this day and age much of humanity is
faced with just the opposite. Food is
overabundant and physical activity is actually a
break from the normal daily
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routine. As a society, we experience high levels
of stress, anxiety, and depression, fewer
opportunities for physical activity and greater
exposure to marketing of obesity-promoting
products.
Why BMI is Used as a Starting Point in the
Surgical Management of Obesity
Obesity has overtaken smoking as the leading
cause of preventable disease and premature death
in Australia. It is therefore important to be
able to easily identify people who are most
likely to have obesity. Once identified, people
in this group can be further assessed to
determine if and how they would benefit from
having their obesity treated.
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• The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines
  obesity by the percentage body fat, over 25 for
  men and over 35 for women.
• What does that mean in laymans terms? If more
  than a quarter of a man?s body if made up of
  fat, then he has obesity. If more than a third
  (roughly) of a women?s body is made up of fat,
  then she has obesity.
• How do we identify people with obesity?
• A good screening tool to identify people with
  obesity would be
• Quick
• Easy
• Non-invasive
• Free
• Based on information that most people already
  know or can easily find out without needing
  difficult or expensive equipment
• A reliable indicator of actually having obesity
  to maintains public trust in the
• result
• o That is, it would be best if most of the people
  identified by the screening tool would turn out
  to actually have obesity on further testing and
  relatively few people are incorrectly categorised
  as having obesity.
• BMI meets all of these criteria.

BMI
weight in kilograms Height in metres x height in
metres
Take home message BMI is not used because it is
perfect or the most accurate measurement for
every person in the population. BMI is not a
diagnostic tool. BMI is a good starting point to
identify people with obesity so they can be
further assessed to determine if and how they
would benefit from having their obesity treated.
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• KEY THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A SURGICAL
  WEIGHT LOSS CENTRE
• EXPERIENCED SURGEON
• Studies show that surgeries performed by an
  experienced surgeon result in fewer
  complications. Your surgeon should have extensive
  experience operating on the upper
  gastrointestinal tract and performing the
  specific procedure you are undertaking. No
  single weight loss surgery procedure is best for
  everyone. If a surgeon only performs one
  procedure, ask why.
• Weight loss surgery procedures evolve with
  technology. Your surgeon should
• actively participate in continuing education
  specific to bariatric surgery and groups such as
  the International Federation for the Surgery of
  Obesity (IFSO).
• Anaesthetic and perioperative care also
  contribute to an un-complicated recovery from
  bariatric surgery. It is essential that the whole
  team has substantial training and experience
  specific to the treatment of bariatric surgery
  patients.
• THOROUGH MEDICAL ASSESSMENT BEFORE SURGERY
• All surgeries have risks and benefits, including
  bariatric surgery. Obesity related health
  complications can put people with obesity into a
  higher risk category for surgery. Pre-operative
  assessment is key to maximising safety. Your
  surgeon should rigorously assess and investigate
  your health. This includes arranging reviews and
  investigations by other specialists, such as
  cardiologists or gastroenterologists, to manage
  any existing conditions before, during and after
  the operation to ensure your safety.
• What often surprises people is that more than a
  third of candidates for bariatric surgery have
  high calorie malnutrition?, with vitamin and
  mineral deficiencies present before surgery. A
  detailed nutritional screening is required before
  surgery.
• SPECIALISED BARIATRIC DIETITIAN
• Bariatric surgery reduces the volume of food that
  can be eaten. The quality of the food consumed
  and compliance with recommended supplements
  remains the choice of the patient, making
  nutritional care and food choice important
  lifelong. Specialised dietetic advice is
  essential at each phase

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After surgery to support and troubleshoot your
transition from liquids to puree and then back
onto solids to ensure your nutrient requirements
match your appetite within the texture
permitted. Over the long-term they monitoring
and prevent nutrient deficiencies and maximise
weight loss. Symptoms of vitamin and mineral
deficiency are commonly non-specific, and most
characteristic physical findings are seen late
in the course of nutrient deficiency.

• Dr Jacobus (Jorrie) Jordaan MB ChB MMed Surg
  (Pret) (Hons) FCS(SA)
• FRACS is a Specialist Upper Gastrointestinal and
  Endocrine surgeon with 25 years of experience.
  Having performed many thousands of advanced and
  complicated surgical operations, he is among
  Australia?s most experienced specialists in
  minimally invasive weight loss (bariatric)
  surgery. Dr Jordaan is professionally known for
  his meticulous surgical technique and attention
  to detail, his exceptionally low complication
  rate, his ethical conduct and remarkable overall
  patient care.

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CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST Emotional support is
vital. Most people in society have developed
their eating patterns over time to meet more
than just their physical needs but also for
comfort, for socialisation, to combat boredom or
to overcome fatigue. Sometimes, obesity has
psychological causes that need to be addressed. A
psychologist can assist patients to identify and
overcome potential barriers that may hinder their
weight loss success. BARIATRIC NURSE
COORDINATOR It is important that the whole
treatment process runs smoothly. A bariatric
nurse can case manage each patient to coordinate
the appointments and information streams
involved and ensure nothing is forgotten. LONG-TE
RM FOLLOW-UP Ongoing coordinated care that
links with the bariatric dietitian and others
involved in the weight management team maximises
the health benefits for the patient by
preventing nutrient deficiencies and maximising
long term weight loss. It is important to take
the time to get to know your patients so you can
understand their struggles, determine what they
need to succeed and make a commitment to
supporting them to successful, long-term weight
loss. Says Dr Jordaan. We ensure our patients
have accesses to lifelong support through
wellness workshops, psychology support groups,
dietetic reviews and follow-ups with bariatric
nurses to monitor nutrition profiles. With the
right dedication and support, people can turn
their life around and achieve permanent weight
control for a healthy future. For more
information, contact us here or call (07) 5556
8888.