Bariatric surgery helps cut flab, but may hurt bones

Bariatric surgery may be the most popular way to shed that extra pound but one may consequently end up thinning the bones as well.


"Bariatric surgery is the most convenient way to lose weight for individuals who have been unable to achieve significant weight loss through diet modifications and exercise programs alone, and helps attain a more healthy body weight," says Dr Pradip Chowbey, Secretary General Asia Pacific Bariatric Surgery Society and President Obesity Surgery Society of India.

The weight loss surgery is mainly of three types Lapband, Lap sleeve reception and Lap Gastric bypass.

Mal-absorption of calcium in human body after any weight loss surgery is very common, doctors say.

"In India though the Lap Gastric bypass surgery is most popular and standard procedure to shed extra pound, Calcium absorption in body goes down after any weight loss surgery leading to thinning of bones," says Chowbey.

Dr AK Kriplani, Bariatric Surgeon at Indrapastha Apollo Hospital says that it's mostly after the gastric bypass surgery that Calcium absorption in the human body is hampered.

"In a normal human body calcium is mainly absorbed from the proximal part of the small intestine when food passes through it," says Kriplani.

"But in a gastric bypass surgery this proximal part of small intestine is bypassed and food no longer passes through it thereby decreasing the absorption of nutrients especially Calcium," he adds.