Based on the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health (MOH), patients can be offered bariatric surgery if they have:
An experienced team of medical professionals will assess the patient for suitability before he or she undergoes surgery.
Bariatric surgery works by reducing the functioning capacity of the stomach, which results in a reduction in caloric intake. Bariatric surgery may also involve the reconfiguration of the anatomy of the stomach and small intestine. This can result in a change in the hormonal signalling between the digestive and the brain, as well as the body’s basal metabolism rate (the rate at which the body burns calories at rest). These mechanisms result in effective and sustainable weight loss after surgery.
We can generally expect a loss of about 25% to 30% of the patient’s total body weight after bariatric surgery and this effect is usually consistent in the first three to five years after surgery. To sustain the weight loss in the long term after surgery, the patient will need to adopt behavioural changes like healthy dietary choices, mindful eating habits, consistent exercise, as well as healthy strategies of coping with stress. The support from an experienced multi-disciplinary team of medical professionals during the patient’s entire bariatric surgery journey can help to improve the chances of long-term successful weight loss.
