Expert calls for more obesity surgeries to stop epidemic

A TOP consultant has criticised the low number of surgeries being carried out for obese patients, claiming we need more resources to tackle the growing health epidemic.

Obesity expert Professor Donal O’Shea said there are only two units where bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery is carried out – at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin and University Hospital Galway – and he stated that these are ‘grossly under-resourced’.

However, the HSE said surgery is only required in 2% of cases, as obesity can be treated by losing weight.

Prof O’Shea’s comments come as new data obtained from the HSE by the Irish Daily Mail reveals that just 93 obese patients underwent procedures such as gastric banding, gastric bypass and liposuction – which are recommended to treat obese or morbidly obese patients with type 2 diabetes and sleep apnoea – in hospitals here in 2014, at a cost of €696,319.

A total of 104 procedures were carried out in 2013 at a cost of €793,699, and 84 were carried out in 2012 at a cost of €683,945. Prof O’Shea, a consultant endocrinologist at St Vincent’s, claims the operations would pay for themselves within two years, in terms of what they save the health service.

The estimated cost of obesity to the Irish State is around €1.1billion per annum, according to a 2012 Safefood Ireland report.

Last year, a report from the World Health Organisation said Ireland is on course to be the most obese country in Europe in 15 years, when over 85% of all adults will be classed as overweight, unless radical changes are made.

The HSE said in a statement that while a definite clinical need exists for those with chronic obesity, bariatric surgery is only required for the minority of obese patients – 2% of the population.

It added: ‘Overweight and obesity in adults is treated by losing weight, which can be achieved through a healthy, calorie-controlled diet and increased physical activity.’