Operations to beat obesity up 700%

Huge increase in number of Scottish patients having gastric bypass surgery

By Tim Pauling

Published:

The number of people resorting to major surgery to overcome obesity has rocketed by more than 700% over five years.

The number of gastric bypass operations, which involved making the stomach smaller and bypassing part of the intestine to make the digestive system shorter, increased from 22 in 2005 to 178 last year.

The number of gastric band operations, which involves using an adjustable band to make the stomach smaller, went up from 73 to 111.

Figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats show the highest number of people resorting to gastric bypasses, from which it takes twice as long to recover than gastric band operations, are in the Glasgow and Clyde area where it rose from 16 to 107.

The second-highest number were done in the NHS Forth Valley area where, over the past three years, the number has risen from nine to 49. NHS Grampian and Highland has just five and six respectively in 2008.

But Grampian had 60 gastric band procedures between 2004 and 2008, the third highest in Scotland. Levels remained constant for three years before climbing to 23 in 2007 and falling back to 16 last year.

A spokesman for NHS Grampian said the numbers were high because Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was one of the few specialist centres carrying out the procedures.

“They are carried out on the basis of clinical need and there is a wide range of possible interventions for patients before bariatric surgery is considered,” he said.

Patients must either have a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 and type 2 diabetes, or a BMI over 60 before they are considered for surgery. But they cannot be referred for surgery until they have had a complete medical, dietetic and psychological assessment.

The spokesman said: “Some patients may then be referred for surgical and anaesthetic assessment and, if these stages are all satisfactorily completed, the patient will be given a place on the surgical list.”

The number of gastric band procedures has remained constant in Forth Valley, totalling 28 in four years.

Highland had just 12 spread over two years.

Liberal Democrat public health spokesman Jamie Stone called the national increase “shocking”.

“If patients are assessed as needing this radical surgery then it should be available,” he said. “But we need to be sure that these operations are a last resort and that patients have tried to lose weight by changing their eating and exercise patterns.”

Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said despite the “shocking rise”, referrals to obesity services outstripped supply.

“For example, in NHS Grampian they receive approximately 1,000 referrals to the obesity services each year, with only around 20 patients being surgically treated,” she said. “Scotland’s obesity epidemic looks set to grow and grow unless action is taken.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Surgery for obesity is rare and the type of surgery is based on the patient's needs.”

She added: “We have made it a national priority to turn the tables on obesity by supporting everyone, especially kids, to be more active and eat healthier.

“Initiatives in schools include free school meals and healthy cooking lessons as well as popular physical activities to get kids excited about being more active.”