‘Morbid obesity, damaged knee trap patients’

The morbid obesity of a 71-year-old retired man has put the spotlight on a growing epidemic of unhealthy weight-gain, a common feature among India’s adults.

The man, an Indian national residing in the United States, has been referred to Manipal Hospitals for a knee replacement surgery, after another hospital had refused to treat him due to concerns of medical complications.

Dr Lokesh Veerappa, a joint replacement surgeon designated as the treating physician, identified a larger lifestyle flaw as the bedridden patient used a CPAP breathing machine to compensate for his respiratory problems.

“His obesity was at the root of all his (health) problems,” Dr Veerappa said. “He stopped walking, which led to the worsening of his health, and was the onset of depression.”

The combination of knee osteoarthritis and morbid obesity traps patients in a vicious cycle of bad health and lack of exercise, Dr Veerappa explained, as the knees suffer early damage and prevent the patient from exercising and losing weight.

Dr Veerappa said the patient regained mobility following the successful knee replacement and lost several kilos of weight.

A study by the Indian Council of Medical Research–India Diabetes noted how the country’s growing affluence is transforming the health issues faced by citizens. “Under-nutrition due to poverty, which dominated in the past, is being rapidly replaced by obesity associated with affluence, resulting in an estimated 88 million individuals in the country who are overweight,” it said.

The study also said 135 million individuals have generalised obesity, 153 million with abdominal obesity and 107 million with combined obesity.

City-based endocrinologist Dr A Sharda said the trend that afflicts all age groups reflects the changing nature of the Indian dietary preferences. The shrinking public space for exercise and recreation is a factor in the growing sedentary lifestyle of people, she added.