Obesity in teenagers is a hot issue worldwide. A large number of adults are already succumbing to dangerous complications of obesity. The teenage years are the most active part of life, and becoming prey to obesity at this age jeopardizes physical and mental health.
Obesity attacks health in all dimensions and affects every body organ system. Obstructive sleep apnea is one significant complication of obesity that is being increasingly diagnosed in teenagers with higher body mass index (BMI). Research shows that the rate of obstructive sleep apnea is around 40% in obese adolescents with BMIs above 30, becoming even greater at higher BMIs.
The Problems with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition in which upper airway interruption occurs during sleep, causing unhealthy pauses in respiration. Common signs of OSA are loud snoring during sleep, daytime sleepiness, and not experiencing freshness after awakening. All this leads to mental and physical deterioration. If not treated in time, consequences may include:
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Right heart failure
- Respiratory failure
Obese teenagers who have obstructive sleep apnea benefit most from losing weight. Losing weight not only cures the condition but is also a good preventive measure for those at risk of developing it. While there are multiple options for losing weight, bariatric surgery is the quickest and most efficient alternative for teenagers with BMIs above 3o or more.
How Bariatric Surgery Lowers Sleep Apnea
Research has established the very healthy effect of Bariatric surgery in curing obstructive sleep apnea in obese teenagers. Maninder Kalra and his fellow scientists screened 35 obese people for obstructive sleep apnea with a sleep study (polysomnography/PSG).
Out of 35 obese adults, 19 were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. Ten obese people with diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea underwent gastric bypass procedure. The average weight loss was 58 kilogram, six months after Bariatric surgery. Nine out of ten bariatric patients showed marked improvement in obstructive sleep apnea symptoms which was confirmed by the sleep study.
The fundamental importance of Bariatric surgery in curing obstructive sleep apnea lies in its effectiveness in losing weight. Other methods of weight loss don’t prove handy in curing obstructive sleep apnea because they aren’t as significant and rapid as Bariatric surgery. There aren’t any more dangers with Bariatric surgery for teenagers than there are for elderly patients. Any adult person with a BMI of 35 or more is a good candidate for losing weight through a Bariatric surgery procedure.
Important to remember!
While bariatric surgery is safe and efficient for teenagers and adults, one important thing to remember is selecting the right surgery center for weight loss surgery. Remember! Bariatric surgery is only safe with experienced and professional surgeons at board-certified facilities. Some centers that claim to be cheaper in the market lack many of the essential facilities for patient safety, increasing the risk of acquiring dangerous or even fatal complications. Be careful and select only a dedicated Bariatric surgery hospital for your weight loss goals.
Bariatric surgery is a safe and effective option for losing weight with lower rates of failures and complications than other methods.
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