50% of Europeans are overweight and obese and need to shed at least 5-10% of their overall bodyweight. By dropping the kilos, women and men will avoid other health challenges like diabetes and heart problems. US First Lady Michelle Obama has launched an aggressive campaign against childhood obesity, recognizing that millions of Americans are clinically obese.
50% of Europeans are overweight and obese and need to shed at least 5-10% of their overall bodyweight. By dropping the kilos, women and men will avoid other health challenges like diabetes and heart problems. US First Lady Michelle Obama has launched an aggressive campaign against childhood obesity, recognizing that millions of Americans are clinically obese.
The European Union is looking at ways to empower overweight and obese individuals by offering support, promote healthy lifestyles and ensure health coverage for effective therapies, encourage healthcare professionals to recognize obesity as a chronic disease, create clinical guidelines on weight loss and various interventions and evaluate best country practices throughout Europe.
The problem in Europe and America is that if you are dangerously obese then state healthcare or insurance may pay for surgery. But for the vast majority of those who are overweight neither state nor privately insured healthcare will pay for weight loss surgery or weight reduction programs. This has produced a global industry to help people lose weight, some of which is effective and cost effective, some of which is either hugely expensive or only effective in the short term.
There are many weight loss procedures, and some of the newer ones are not offered in a person’s home country. Also, many countries offer a range of weight loss treatments from spas to surgery, at a cost much less than in the USA or Western Europe. Many of these lower price countries benefit from lower staff and premises costs and offer medical tourists good quality and effective treatment.
Judging the quality of any weight loss programme is difficult, as effectiveness depends partly on the will of the individual to continue healthy lifestyles that keep weight down. Sadly, some hope for a quick fix with surgery and then expect to return to their previous lifestyle.
Obesity surgeons from BMI Healthcare in the UK are warning against having weight loss operations undertaken by unregulated surgeons abroad. Losing kilos whilst saving money seems like the perfect solution for people with weight issues but cost-conscious people need to be aware that they can be taking a gamble with their health, and some could end up having to pay out for corrective surgery when they return home. Anselm Agwunobi of BMI Healthcare warns, “There are risks if you choose to have your weight loss procedure done abroad. Patients who have surgery in some centres abroad may be putting themselves at a greater risk of infection, both on the operating table and in the ward. People should remember that weight loss surgeries can, at first, be very debilitating, so patients need to consider the comparative comfort levels and costs involved in recuperating in a foreign country until they feel well enough to safely fly home.”
Patients seeking a weight loss surgery should:
• Check a surgeon’s credentials. Ensure that the surgeon is on the specialist register in the country they are in.
• Choose a hospital where you will feel comfortable and at ease.
• Find out about the support available. Request that you meet the team who will be treating you throughout your hospital stay, as well as the kind of aftercare you will receive. You need to be prepared and discern what advice can be provided. Ask how many post-operative visits are included within an aftercare package and when they are likely to be. Ask what happens if you are unhappy with the results or if things don’t go to plan.
• Take your time. Do not be pressurised by special offers that demand that you make a booking or commit to having surgery quickly. Embarking on weight loss surgery is not something that should be rushed into. A good surgeon will usually encourage you to go away and consider all the information, therefore giving you the chance to thoroughly consider your options and talk to your friends and family to help you in the decision making process if you are certain about how to proceed.
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