Why Pinoys should not go over their weight
By Charles E. Buban
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:45:00 08/01/2008
Filed Under: Lifestyle & Leisure, Health
MANILA, Philippines—As more and more young Filipinos are being diagnosed with diabetes—bewildering their families in the process—an increasing number of doctors now believe that traditional indicators of the disease, like excess weight and obesity, may not apply to many Filipinos.
“Filipinos like their Asian counterparts tend to suffer many of the problems of obesity, like diabetes, without needing to gain as much weight as people of other ethnic groups, say Caucasians. According to one study, they are predisposed to developing weight problems, particularly obesity and obesity-related health problems, primarily because of their body structure,” shared Dr. Ferdinand Samonte, a bariatric surgeon who heads the Center for Obesity Control at the De Los Santos Medical Center in Quezon City.
Samonte explained that Filipinos like many of their Asian counterparts have a higher level of body fat, and a lower level of muscularity for every level of body mass index compared to Caucasians. This means they need not reach a BMI of 35 or 40 (individuals falling within this range are generally considered obese) before they would start to develop metabolic diseases associated to obesity.
“In fact, at a BMI of 27.5, Filipinos, based on the Food and Research Institute survey, start to become high risk to develop these associated medical problems,” Samonte added.
The BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by height in meters squared [the mathematical formula is “weight (kg)/height (m²)].” To determine BMI using pounds and inches, multiply weight in pounds by 704.5, divide the result by height in inches, and then divide that result by height in inches a second time.
Problem
“And this is where the problem lies: most people know their height but hardly check their weight in weighing scales. If they think they are just overweight by 9 kilos (20 pounds), they could actually be obese or overweight by 13.6 kg (30 lb) to 22.6 (50 lb) or more kilos.” Samonte said.
This was the predicament of one of Samonte’s patients, Cherry Licup, who at 5’3” used to tip the scale at 85.7 kg (189 lbs).
“It was in 2004 and I thought I was just overweight by several kilos. But I remember also that there were mornings when I just had to sit on the steps in order for me to go down from my bedroom at the second level. My knees were giving way,” Licup related.
She also added that it was her dermatologist (skin problems are among the many effects of being overweight or obese) who advised her to see a bariatric surgeon, or one who specializes on weight loss.
“I told her that depending on an individual’s physical condition, even an excess of a few kilos could already bring numerous side effects including joint problems or even osteoarthritis (a degenerative joint disease). If left unattended, the additional weight increase may bring the development of a range of specific conditions, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, psychological problems and reproductive problems for women.
No surgery
But while Licup needs to shed weight quickly, she doesn’t want to undergo any type of surgery (dieting and exercise proved temporary and unsuccessful for the preneed insurance employee).
Samonte suggested the BioEnterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) system, which is designed to ensure weight loss in people who are at least 40 percent above their ideal weight and who have failed to obtain prolonged weight loss with other weight control programs.
The 20-minute nonsurgical and nonpharmaceutical procedure involves placing a deflated silicone balloon into the stomach through the mouth.
“When filled with 400 ml to 700 ml of sterile saline, the balloon becomes too large to pass into the intestine and as a result float freely in the deflated stomach. This system is designed to make compliance with a supervised diet and behavior modification program easier since the balloon partially fills the stomach and patients report that they have a feeling of fullness,” Samonte explained.
Monitor progress
He said using the BIB system requires regular meetings with a doctor to monitor progress.
“This is why a one-stop info center for the overweight and obese, the BIB and Lap-Band Center/Total Obesity Solutions (0917-5272263), was also established in 2006 at the Medical Plaza in Makati City.
The doctor said the center provides a comprehensive databank which includes product literature, clinical dossier, video and audio materials and Web access—all dealing with obesity solutions.
Samonte believes the problem with being overweight and obese is that one cannot just shed off the excess body fat by extreme exercising or dieting or using special machines.
“This is not to counter the beneficial effects of dieting or exercise. Of course, these procedures have always been proven to offer good results. Yet these could not be enough especially for some overweight and obese individuals because undergoing them may already be physically difficult,” Samonte said.
He added that through the center (or its website, www.lapbandasia.com), interested patients may be able to consider minimally invasive surgery options that could significantly reduce food intake and eventually help them comply with their exercise or diet regimen.
“Through the center I was convinced that the BIB system is right for my case. In fact, after six months of having the balloon inside my stomach, my weight went down to 62.5 kg. (138 kg), which I was able to maintain for three years now. The center helped me to go back to being a serious health buff and adhere to proper diet,” Licup said.
|
