Gastric Band Service

Obesity Factfile

The incidence of obesity in England has trebled in the last 20 years. Researchers from the University of Madrid's School of Medicine found that up to 400,000 deaths each year in the EU are directly linked to excess weight.

More people are dying in Britain due to being overweight or obese than anywhere else in Europe, according to the study. Around one in every 11 deaths in the UK is now linked to carrying excess fat - 50 per cent more than the rate in France. Experts also warned that the number of fatalities due to obesity may soon, for the first time, exceed those caused by smoking.

• One in every five adults - around eight million in total - is obese
• Nearly two thirds of men and more than half of women in England are now either overweight or obese
• Health problems linked to obesity are heart disease; Type 2, non-insulin dependent, diabetes; high blood pressure; osteoarthritis; and a number of cancers
• Deaths linked to obesity shorten life by nine years on average
• 30,000 deaths in 1998 were attributable to obesity
• Obesity was the cause of 18 million days of sickness absence in 1998 and 40,000 lost years of working life
• By 2010 obesity and its consequences are expected to cost the economy more than £3.6 billion a year

Obesity and BMI (Body Mass Index)

Obesity is most commonly defined in terms of body mass index (BMI). Use our BMI calculator below to find your BMI.

A desirable BMI is considered to be in the region of 20 to 25. Above this is defined as 'overweight'. And a BMI over 30 is defined as 'obese'. Having a waist circumference of more than 37 inches (94 cm) if you are a man and 32 inches (80cm) if you are a woman means you could be increasing your risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. [Source: Primary Care - an edition of NHS Magazine]

The BMI is used internationally as a tool to measure relative weight for height however, it does not give a direct measurement of 'fatness'. BMI alone is not able to correctly determine the body make up of individual (i.e. percentage fat to lean tissue).

For many people there is a balance between excess weight and fatness. However, with some individuals they may have a relatively high BMI, yet remain lean - as with professional sports people. Excess weight in these cases, is composed predominantly of lean tissue rather than fat. At the other extreme, old people may have a normal or low BMI but have a high proportion of fat because lean tissue mass decreases with age.

The pattern of fat distribution is important to assess health risks associated with obesity. There is abundant evidence to show that large amounts of excess fat in the abdominal region, inside the body cavity, is associated with a greater risk of diabetes and heart disease than e.g. excess fat on the arms and legs.

Ideally, individuals considering or who have undergone weight loss surgery, should also have accurate measurements of percentage body fat throughout the weight loss journey. Weight loss alone does not demonstrate the proportion of change in fat and lean tissue.

To establish percentage body fat accurately is specialised, time consuming and expensive. There are few centres where appropriate specialist equipment is available. However, commercially body fat analyser systems are available in the high street e.g. scales. The accuracy of such scales is questionable as they estimate an average body fat composition through measuring the legs alone.

At times people who have had weight loss surgery may feel devastated that they have not lost weight but recognise they have changed in shape and they have dropped in clothes size. Some people find that even a rough estimation of body fat percentage through commercially available equipment is of use.

Associated Problems

The articles below highlight some of the secondary problems associated with obesity.

Snoring

Snoring is often associated with obesity.

Article on Snoring & Sleep Apnoea

Gall stones

Gall stones are often associated with obesity; if found it is unlikely that the gall bladder will be removed at the time of band placement

Article on Gallbladder removal

Hiatus Hernia

Hiatus Hernias may be found in the morbidly obese patient. When a gastric band is placed the hiatus hernia will be repaired at the time of band placement

Article on Hiatus Hernia

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