Today’s report on weight-loss surgery is another warning to government on the social, economic and personal costs of obesity. It shows that about 5% of those having surgery are aged 25 years or under and 40% of them were ‘super-obese’, in other words they had a BMI of 50 or more. This is a shocking statistic that reflects the failure of everyone around that individual to provide support through their childhood into their early adult years.
And whilst on average people have lost 60% of their excess weight a year after surgery, 
unless the root causes of over-eating are tackled, some will lose little weight whilst others around them will become obese. It is perfectly possible to have surgery and continue to eat high calorie foods and drink excess alcohol resulting in little weight loss, if the very reasons for over-eating have not been properly addressed. Whilst a psychological assessment is always made before surgery, many people need significant amounts of ongoing counselling support which currently is not provided.
Our recent report Careless eating costs lives highlights the obesogenic environment in which we now live and that action at all levels – from the personal to government – is urgently needed.
Added to this, rising levels of malnutrition indicate that we are not eating as we should.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) in August, show the number of people admitted to English and Welsh hospitals rose dramatically – from 5,469 to 6,520 – in the past year alone. There was 19-percent increase in the number of UK citizens hospitalized for malnutrition over the past twelve months[1]. Over the last five years there was a 71 per cent increase in hospital admissions where malnutrition was a primary or secondary diagnosis, from 3,900 admissions in 2009-10 to 6,690 admissions in 2013-14.
Above all we have to get serious about prevention of obesity in the first place. A national strategy on nutrition, a mandatory Responsibility Deal, local government plans, concerted action in schools and less snacking by you and me are all required. We don’t have enough surgeons for all those eligible for weight-loss surgery anyway, and as the good doctor has always said, prevention is better than cure – for the individual, society and the economy.
2020health's Blog 
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