Obesity refers to a condition in which there is an accumulation of fat in the body to an extent when it starts affecting the health of the person in a negative way. When the weight of a person shows an increase of 20% or more than the expected body weight, then he/she is considered to be suffering from obesity. Medically, a Body Mass Index (BMI) between the range of 25 and 29.9 is considered to be a case of overweight. If the BMI goes above 30, it is said to be obesity. There are a number of treatments available for this. These can be surgical as well as non-surgical. Drugs effective in treating obesity include Beta-methyl-phenylethylamine (Fastin), Phentermine, Orlistat (Xenical) and Sibutramine (Meridia). Complicated cases of obesity can be treated by bariatric surgeries. Apart from these, few devices such as electrical stimulation systems, gastric bands, gastric emptying systems and gastric balloon systems are also helpful in the treatment of obesity.
The market industry for the treatments of obesity is growing due to the increasing cases of obesity. The global market is predicted to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 12.7% during the forecast period of 2016-2021. The market driving factor is the modern day lifestyle. The reduction in physical activities and static positions for prolonged hours boost up the number of cases of obesity.
Advantages:
Drugs used in treating obesity cause an increase in the metabolism of the body.
These drugs interfere with the absorbing power of the body in case of particular nutrients. For example, the drug Orlistat helps in blocking fat breakdown in the body, thus preventing the absorption of fats which are taken by the body.
Bariatric surgeries can be used to achieve long-term weight-loss.
Disadvantages:
Sibutramine, an anti-obesity drug, cause a number of health problems. This medication can lead to increased blood pressure, in addition to constipation, insomnia, dry mouth and headache.
The devices used in obesity treatment may cause bleeding, nausea, vomiting or infection.
Bariatric surgeries carry risk factors such as blood clots, infection, excessive bleeding, and adverse reaction to anesthesia, leaks in the gastrointestinal system, lung or breathing problems and can also cause death, though in rare cases.
The rapidly changing lifestyles have an immense effect on the health of the people today. Obesity is one of these very adverse effects. Thus, people should focus on eradicating the root causes as far as possible. In case, the situation has already occurred, there are many options available to them. Now, its up to them to choose the way out wisely.