The Big Fat Goan Story

Surgery could help too

Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Bariatic surgery, a procedure in which the stomach is shrunk to reduce food intake, is gaining popularity in Goa. In the last six months, seven such operations were carried out at a Margao hospital. Three patients were Goans, the rest foreigners. Michael Fernandes (name changed on request) was the first Goan to go under the bariatic scalpel. “I was 132 kg and could hardly stand. After the surgery, I lost 34 kg and am more active,” says the 37-year-old. Adding that he feels “healthier today than I ever did in my teens”, the insurance agent says the weight loss helped him “land a job of my choice”. There are three types of bariatic surgeries—laparoscopic gastric banding (lap band), gastric bypass and gastric sleeve. These are decided depending on individual problems. “For a morbidly obese person (with a BMI above 40), bariatic surgery (that costs between Rs 2 and Rs 3 lakh) is the only solution, as there is a 50-60% weight loss,” says Dr Rajkumar Palaniappan, bariatic surgeon at Apollo Victor hospital. However, the surgery is not without complications. “Nearly 20% develop vitamin B deficiency and have to take vitamin tablets for life. Some also become anaemic, if they are not careful about their diet,” he says.
Michael agrees that he has to be careful about his diet and can’t smoke or drink. But he is not complaining. “I am happy to be alive and I now feel healthier,” says Michael.
What is BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) indicates body fatness. It is calculated by dividing a person’s body weight by the square of one’s height. For example, if you weigh 52 kilos and your height is 5 ft (1.52 mtrs), your BMI is 23.111 {BMI = weight (kilos)/height (sq m)}.
BMI categories: Below 18.5 - Underweight 18.5 to 24.9 - Normal 25 to 29.9 - Overweight 30 & above - Obese