Figure released by the NHS have shown that weight loss surgery is becoming much more common as a way for people in the UK to reduce their body size.
The findings reveal that just over 8,000 overweight or obese adults in the UK received hospital operations to remove unwanted excess body fat last year, up from a total of 7,214 in 2009–2010. This means that the number of operations to reduce weight, such as gastric bypass, stomach stapling and sleeve gastrectomy, have risen dramatically within a year. The operations tend to be asked for by patients with a high body mass index (BMI) as they prefer it to other treatments such as taking slimming pills.
In addition, another major study has shown a huge 1,100 per cent rise in the amount of hospitalisations because of weight-related problems during the last decade. Also, the figures reveal that women are three times as likely to want hospital care to treat their obesity as compared to men, with 8,654 female patients being admitted to hospital for weight loss treatment of one kind or another over the last year, as opposed to only 2,919 men.
The survey results are a concern about the impact of such surgery on the NHS, as many are seen to be having their gastric bands refitted rather than have a new treatment, so follow-up costs will be high.

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