According to the MedUni Vienna study, this saves costs in the health system.
In Austria, 3.7 million people over 15 years of age are overweight, around 17 percent of them have obesity, i.e. a body mass index (BMI) of over 30. Operations to reduce weight in the case of obesity prolong life for obese sufferers and increase the quality of life , shows a new study at the MedUni / AKH Vienna. This also saves the health system long-term costs, according to a MedUni broadcast on Thursday.
Obesity is a chronic disease with a high health risk, the doctors emphasize. If left untreated, the life expectancy of those affected falls by up to seven years and those affected can expect consequences such as heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.
Depending on the indication, also known as “bariatric surgery” or “metabolic surgery”, obesity surgery comprises a number of minimally invasive surgical operation methods that can be used to achieve permanent weight loss in those affected. This significantly improves comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, joint diseases and sleep apnea.
Further effects of the treatment method for those affected and the health system have now been demonstrated. “In the study, we were able to determine that the quality of life of those affected increases significantly after an operation and that their lifespan is extended. Depending on the respective comorbidities, the results show that those affected have lived longer by several years, for example in type 2 diabetes by around seven Years “, reported Gerhard Prager from the Clinical Department for Visceral Surgery at MedUni.
In the long term, obesity surgery also has a positive effect on the health system. “The study shows that bariatric-metabolic surgery leads to long-term cost savings, since cost-intensive treatments for concomitant diseases are reduced and the general health of those affected improves,” explained Prager. Every year around 3,000 bariatric or metabolic interventions are carried out in Austria.