From Your Health Journal…..”Great article from TVNZ, which is an excellent resource from New Zealand, and I highly recommend your visiting their site (listed below). Today’s article review discusses the rise in obesity surgery rate in New Zealand – a rise of nearly 100% over the past six years. The article quoted one surgeon stating you don’t need to read the stats on obesity in our country, but rather, just walk down the street to viably see it! The sad truth, obesity is on the rise all over the world. There are so many contributing factors to the increase, but it is hard to pinpoint one specific cause. The combination of sedentary lifestyle due to technology, poor economy’s, poor diet, and less physical activity are all contributing factors. Heart disease and diabetes are on the rise, and change is needed. Please visit the TVNZ site for the full story.”

From the article…..

The number of obesity surgeries in New Zealand has risen nearly 100% over the past six years and “you only need to walk down the street” to see why, a surgeon says.

Ministry of Health figures show 389 gastric bypass surgeries were performed in the public health system over the past year – nearly six times more than in 2005-2006.

Health Ministry electives manager Clare Perry said it was a sign of increased funding that the number of surgeries had gone up.

In 2010, $2 million was made available to District Health Boards to carry out bariatric surgeries.

“This funding is expected to provide an additional 300 bariatric operations nationally over four years, an average of 75 per year, which has been achieved.

“This funding has been allocated to DHBs proportional to their populations,” Perry said.

Auckland District Health Board gastrointestinal and bariatric surgeon Grant Berbar said while it would be ideal the numbers of surgeries went down, in reality, more were needed.

“You just need to walk down the street to see New Zealand’s obesity problem, and it is a problem of deprivation.

“It’s not just the fact that people are fat, it’s all the associated health problems that come with it.”

To read the full article…..Click here