'Obesity-linked deaths to touch two crore by 2010' ~ The Hindu

Date:13/07/2009
The Hindu

A decade back obesity-linked deaths were estimated to be about 15 lakh a year in the country.
This number is expected to swell to about two crore a year by 2010. This was stated by experts participating in a one-day Continuing Medical Education programme on ‘Obesity’ held at the Sunrise Hospital in Kochi on Saturday.
Recent studies have shown that obesity is the major preventable cause of deaths worldwide. Lack of interest and paucity of knowledge seems to be the major drawback. Kerala holds the second spot in the country for incidence of obesity, pointed out experts participating in the programme.
Overweight individuals are at high risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.
Experts at the CME pointed out that there are scientific methods to successfully reduce weight that will help prevent diseases like cancer, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
Obesity prevention and treatment should be given top priority in health care and awareness against the disease spread through the educational network. There is also a surgical option called bariatric surgery done through keyhole method that an obese person can undergo.
R. Padmakumar, medical director of Sunrise Hospital convened the programme.
K. Babu, MLA, P. G. R. Pillai, Medical Director, Co-operative Medical College, Abraham Paul, IMA-Kochi president, Shashank Shah, national secretary, Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society of India were among those who participated in the programme.


© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu