It was reported today that the number of people undergoing bariatric surgery, such as stomach stapling or the fitting of gastric bands, has increased by nearly 800% in five years. In 2003-04 some 480 surgeries were carried out on the NHS, but this figure has risen to 4,246 procedures in 2007-08. The NHS claim that all of those treated were at risk of death without treatment and point to good success rates in keeping the weight off as justification.
However, it is perhaps important to consider these figures as part of a general trend and note that they do not include privately funded operations. Those undergoing private operations will not have had to undergo the same rigorous screening process as the same patient would to qualify for the surgery on the NHS. Surgery should always be a last resort for weight loss, but changing attitudes and popularisation by celebrities, such as Fern Britten and Vanessa Phelps, risk it being seen as simply one of the range of options forweight losss, alongside diet and exercise.
Many argue that those who struggle with overeating are suffering from a mental disorder of the same magnitude as anorexia and, as such, are just as deserving of any treatment that works. Others find this trend for weight loss surgery a worrying turn of events that could end up doing more harm than good. It remains to be seen which group will be vindicated in their opinions.
What do you think?
Read more about the new figures here.
