The Chellaram Diabetes Institute has launched an Obesity clinic whose aim is to make a beneficial impact on treatment of people with obesity. Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect not just on the physical body but also on an individual’s emotional wellbeing. This is a rising problem seen throughout the world. A cross-sectional study conducted by Chellaram Diabetes Institute in the villages of Maharashtra state over 5 years was published in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2020. The study showed that not only was there a high prevalence of people being overweight and obese in rural India but there was also a high prevalence of newly diagnosed hypertension and Diabetes in this population. Traditionally the treatment of obesity has focussed on diet, exercise or bariatric surgery. Personalised diets in the form of low calorie diets (especially low carb diet like keto diet) and targeted physical activity help reduce abdominal fat. This in turn increases insulin sensitivity which in turn can help lower blood glucose levels. Sustained lowering of blood glucose levels can even lead to remission of type 2 diabetes. Nutritional approaches and fitness activity must be routinely modified to reflect the changing needs and health goals of the individual with obesity.
Bariatric surgery has emerged as one of our best therapeutic options for long-term weight loss treatment. If a person undergoes either a gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy procedure, the average weight loss counts closer to 25-30 per cent of their initial body weight. But in recent times, the focus is shifting to non-interventional methods to treat obesity using novel medications and alternatives to surgery such as oral gastric capsule. This is a unique weight-loss program which is a 15-minute procedure where a capsule is swallowed which contains a gastric balloon that is inflated in the stomach. This innovative weight-loss program does not require hospitalization, endoscopy, anaesthesia or surgery for placement or removal.
Mental health needs of people with obesity also needs care and management. Timely counselling, empathy and support is needed to manage conditions like depression, low self-esteem and social anxiety. Therefore, it is important to address obesity holistically by looking at the behavioural, clinical and associated illnesses. Chellaram Diabetes Institute offers an end-to end- solution for complete management of obesity. This includes surgical and non-surgical options but a special approach to non-surgical options, personalised nutrition, individualised physical activity schedules, appropriate medical management and an empathetic approach to ensure complete obesity care.