NHS reveals shocking increase in obesity operations

To tackle Britain’s weight problem, over the last five years NHS surgery has increased more than...

13:41 25 August 2012

To tackle Britain’s weight problem, over the last five years NHS surgery has increased more than 500% for gastric bypass operations, with the country spending £85 million last year on obesity.

 

Between 2006 and 2012 the NHS carried out over 18,500 gastric bypasses and around 7,600 gastric band operations.

 

The gastric bypasses operation costs up to £14,000, which was performed over 5,400 times in 2011, with costs for the band being up to £7,000.

 

This figure for bypasses has shot up considerably given the 858 operations which took place during 2006-2007.

 

The NHS Information Centre Show figures for gastric band surgery state 1,316 operations took place in England between 2011-2012.  This is double the surgical procedures which took place five years previously.

 

President of the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS), Alberic Fiennes, said: "There are about 1.5 million such adults in the UK. They face premature death, disease and disability brought on as a direct result of their condition. These can be prevented, improved or eliminated by surgery.”

 

Mr Fiennes added that the gastric band operation was less favourable as the bypass had longer lasting effects with regards to weight loss. 

 

·         Gastric band - This reduces the stomach as a band is fitted around it

·         Gastric bypass - This method shortens the small intestine and re-routes food to a small stomach pouch (which is created by surgeons)

 

It is understood that following a gastric bypass patients are expected to take nutritional supplements long-term.

 

“It is extremely concerning to see the number of gastric bypass operations taking place in England is continuing to dramatically increase,” Paul Sacher, co-founder of Mend, told the Daily Mail.

 

“It’s important that families get the help and support they need early on before their obesity reaches the severe stage.”