What is the impact of obesity on quality of life? Obesity has become a global epidemic, and its effects are far-reaching. Individuals who are obese often suffer from reduced quality of life.

Terms such as morbidly overweight or obesity refer to people who are significantly overweight, with a high level or percentage of body fat. Obesity in adults is typically measured according to a person’s body mass index (BMI). Although a person’s BMI cannot be used on its own as a diagnostic tool, it is a useful indication of whether or not you are a healthy weight.

The impact of obesity on quality of life refers not only to your physical health and comfort, but your emotional well-being, relationships with family and friends, your ability to work, and they way in which others’ interact with you.

It also has significant financial implications. Whether from physical disabilities or other effects of being overweight, obesity has been known to interfere with people’s occupational functioning, leading to lower work achievement. In addition, discrimination and stereotypes surrounding obesity can have a negative impact on a person’s employment opportunities. Both of these factors are associated with a lower income bracket. There are added costs too. If you are obese, you will likely face significant medical bills, and your insurance premiums will be much higher because of the risks associated with obesity.

The impact of obesity on quality of life is far-reaching, affecting almost every aspect of your life.

You cannot afford to underestimate the effect of obesity on your life. There is, unfortunately, a well-established relationship between obesity and a significantly reduced quality of life. This is true for both men and women. From trying to complete day to day tasks to your life expectancy, excess weight affects everything. In our patients’ experience, the impact of obesity on quality of life increases with BMI – the higher your body weight to height ratio, the greater the impact on your quality of life.

You may have difficulty performing everyday activities, and you may be at increased risk for chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

Significant weight gain often makes daily tasks far more difficult to carry out. This is one way in which you can see the difference between being slightly overweight and obesity.

There are many daily activities that are severely impacted by obesity. Everyday difficulties associated with obesity include:

  • breathlessness
  • increased perspiration
  • snoring
  • difficulties with any physical activity
  • persistent tiredness
  • joint and back pain
  • poor quality of life

Running errands, doing household chores, even moving from one room to another, might become more difficult. But the impact of obesity is far more serious that simply being tiring, uncomfortable, or inconvenient.

An explanation of the impact of obesity on quality of life would not be complete without discussing how obesity in adults is a risk factor for a wide range of health conditions, many of which lead to chronic disease. The effect of obesity on health is nothing short of terrifying. From sleep apnea and other breathing difficulties to diabetes and heart disease, the range of health complications associated with obesity is staggering.

Obesity puts you at an increased risk of developing a range of health problems, including:

  • type 2 diabetes
  • hypertension
  • coronary heart disease and stroke
  • liver disease
  • kidney disease
  • gall bladder disease
  • osteoarthritis
  • several types of cancer
  • sleep apnea
  • metabolic syndrome
  • and many other chronic diseases.

One of the greatest risks of obesity is a reduced life expectancy. Depending on its severity, obesity reduces life expectancy by an average of 3 to 10 years.

The focus of medical research has been on the physical implications and consequences of obesity. However, the impact of obesity on quality of life is now better understood as more and more studies explore the relationships between physical health, mental health, and emotional well-being.

The psychological effects of obesity can be just as debilitating as the physical effects.

Obesity can lead to low self-esteem, depression, and social isolation. Other psychological issues that we see in our patients include anxiety, poor self-image, and debilitating feelings such as shame and guilt.

People who are obese often struggle to walk or drive. This can essentially force someone to become house bound, severely limiting their interaction with other people. It is not difficult to see how social isolation becomes a common problem.

A lack of interaction with others means decreased support, and missing out on all the benefits that are associated with spending quality time with others. This sets the stage for a wide range of mental health problems, including depression. It can quickly deteriorate into a negative and destructive cycle, because people who are obese cannot always start exercising or engaging in other activities that might help stave off the impact of obesity on quality of life.

Obese individuals may feel stigmatized and discriminated against. This is a very real element of the impact of obesity on quality of life that we need to take into consideration. Unfortunately, we live in a society where stigma, bias and discrimination exist.

Even though it might not be deliberate, people frequently show bias or prejudice. For example, many establishments create seating areas that prohibit easy movement for people who are obese. We can say the same for aisles in shops, spaces between parking bays, and the list continues. It is no wonder that everyday tasks or activities become incredibly difficult for those who are obese. That is the bad news.

The good news is that there are things that can be done to lessen in the impact of obesity on quality of life.

Weight loss surgery is one option that can help people lose weight and keep it off long-term. While it might initially sound like a drastic solution, we have seen the short-term and long-term benefits of effective weight loss surgery. If you are considering weight loss surgery or you have queries, please contact us to book the next available consultation with Dr Mastakov.

We certainly agree that other treatments, such as lifestyle changes and medications, can also help. In fact, we always encourage our patients to try to implement healthy lifestyle changes first. However, if your attempts to exercise and follow a healthy diet have not yielded significant weight loss, then you are probably a good candidate for weight loss surgery.

Lots of people who suffer from obesity have to take medication for health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, etc. You should always take medication under the supervision of a qualified and experienced doctor. Hopefully, any medication that is prescribed will help to lessen the impact of obesity on quality of life. It is possible that you will have to continue taking the medication, even if you are able to lose a lot of weight.

However, effective weight loss surgery can lessen the severity of some health conditions, and even eradicate some. Outcomes of the surgical procedure include a sustainable loss of body weight, reduction and sometimes resolution of medical comorbidities, and improved quality of life.

Weight loss surgery just might be the solution you are looking for!

Dr Mastakov is a General Surgeon, with more than 26 years’ experience in general surgery. In addition, he has completed preceptorship in bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) with leading Australian bariatric surgeons. Dr Mastakov’s surgery specialises in bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) and hernia repair surgery.

There are two options when it comes to weight loss surgery. Dr Mastakov performs both gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) and sleeve gastrectomy surgery. Both of these can be done as laparoscopic (keyhole) surgical procedures.

When you have a consultation with Dr Mastakov, he will conduct a thorough assessment to determine whether you are a candidate for bariatric surgery and, if so, which type of surgery is best for you.

Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG)

Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) is a laparoscopic or keyhole surgical procedure. Unlike a gastric bypass, it doesn’t involve any surgery on the intestines. It is one of the most effective bariatric procedures as it helps you to feel full after eating a small amount of food. This bariatric procedure changes the shape of your stomach from a sac to a long narrow gastric tube. The end result is that Dr Mastakov will drastically reduce the capacity of your stomach from approximately 2 liters to 100-150 ml.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY)

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY) involves the creation of a small stomach pouch and diversion of food away from most of the stomach and a small portion of the small intestine. The surgery allows for digestive fluids to still meet with ingested food and enable nutrient digestion and absorption. A significant advantage of the procedure is that no portion of the stomach is removed and essentially the procedure can be reversed if necessary.

If you’d like to discuss your options for weight loss surgery in Brisbane or Hervey Bay, our team would love to welcome you to our clinics. In your initial appointment, we will listen to your goals and suggest the best option to meet your weight loss goals. Contact us to book the first available consultation.

For a personalised quote and consultation please call 07 3414 3950 or 07 4148 7082 to book your appointment to see Dr Mastakov. All you need is a letter of referral from your general practitioner (GP). Your consultation is an excellent way to find out more about weight loss surgery. If you decide after the consultation you don’t want to proceed further, there is no pressure to do so at all. However, you need to bear in mind…

The mortality risk of morbid obesity is much higher than that of bariatric surgery.

Not having weight loss surgery has many risks. If you are unable to reduce your weight and get down to a healthy weight, you have a significantly higher chance of experiencing physical, emotional, financial, and social complications. In other words, you will not be spared from the impact of obesity on quality of life. In addition, severe obesity has been conclusively linked to increased mortality.

If you are struggling with obesity, chat to us about ways that you can improve your quality of life: MastakovSurgery.com.au

Obesity is affecting more and more adults and children. The risks of obesity are widely documented, and are not just limited to physical side effects. If you have tried losing weight but cannot get down to a healthy weight, then you might want to consider weight loss surgery. Constant weight gain will only lead to more risk factors associated with obesity. For the latest health information pertaining to obesity and weight loss surgery, please contact us to book the next available consultation.