JOIN USChief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said tackling lifestyle disorders was the need of the hour.
Speaking at the International Telesurgery Summit 2014, organised on Tuesday in the City, he said at least 15 per cent of the people in the State were obese as against just seven per cent five years ago.
India has fallen prey to lifestyle disorders, and as a result, it has made it to the top five countries with health issues. “We have conquered small pox and polio; to tackle lifestyle disorders is the need of the hour,” he observed.
“Obesity can increase cholesterol levels, blood pressure, chances of cardiac ailment and obstructive sleep apnea. I am also suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. Besides, chance of infertility among women increases due to this problem,” he said.
Bangalore-based specialist Dr Makram Ramesh, Senior Consultant, Department of GI, Minimal Invasive and Bariatric Surgery, Vikram Hospital, was selected by the International Federation for Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders to perform a bariatric surgery live, which was telecast to Canada where the summit has been organised.
Besides performing the surgery that involves shrinking of the gastric pouch, a ring would be placed around it to ensure there is no reversal of the previous condition and there is prevention of excess fat accumulation. Dr Tulip, Consultant Laparoscopic, Bariatric and Metabolic (Diabetes) Surgeon, Vikram Hospital, said the ring would remain in place for life. Besides, she also emphasised on the need for preventive care.
Dr Ramesh, along with Dr Tulip, performed this surgery, which took 120 minutes, on a patient weighing over 120 kilos. Nearly 350 surgeons and doctors from across Karnataka attended the live telecast of the demonstration.