Are Hong Kong youths getting fatter? Surge in obesity patients aged below 30
The city’s largest public obesity clinic has seen more younger patients in recent years, with about four in every 10 patients now aged below 30
The city’s largest public obesity clinic has seen more younger patients in recent years, with about four in every 10 patients now aged below 30.
The heaviest patient the clinic at the Prince of Wales Hospital has ever treated was only 23 years old and weighed 200 kilograms.
More than 1,500 patients have been treated since its opening in 2002, with a third of them requiring weight loss surgeries.
“There used to be one in every 10 cases in the past, but now we have three to four in every 10,” said Dr Simon Wong Kin-hung, consultant at the hospital’s department of surgery. The number of new cases at the clinic every year has increased from 92 to 152 in the past five years.
Patients now have to wait for 18 months to see the doctor for the first time, and another year of waiting for surgery. The clinic has also seen more younger patients, aged between 20 and 30, referred by doctors to receive treatment.
Surgeries involve the removal of 75 per cent of the stomach, or creating a bypass between the upper part of the stomach and the small intestine so fewer calories are absorbed.
According to the latest data of the Centre for Health Protection, 39 per cent of the local population is overweight, with 20.8 per cent classed as obese, meaning their Body Mass Index has reached 25 or above.
While observing the rising trend, the clinic could not say exactly what the cause is behind the increase. Wong said it could be explained by environment, family, heredity and genes. That is why the clinic has involved dieticians, clinical psychologist and physiotherapists to provide support to patients.
Patients with obesity are more likely to develop metabolic syndromes such as diabetes, hypertension and strokes. The American medical sector recognised obesity as a disease in 2013.
Weight loss surgery is considered if one’s BMI has reached 35 or above, or reached 30 and with other metabolic syndromes, and if a change of lifestyle and medication have had no effect.
“Surgery just changes the [physical] environment and leads to a bigger chance of weight loss. It doesn’t mean patients could stick to their past lifestyle afterwards,” said Dr Francis Chow Chun-chung, chief of the hospital’s medicine and therapeutics department.
The Centre for Health Protection advises the public to do regular exercise to prevent obesity – this could be household chores such as making up the bed or cleaning the dining table, or walking to your destination instead of taking transportation, the centre said. Physical activities should be 30 minutes a day, five days a week to attain health benefits, the centre said.
The concerted effort of the clinic has been recognised with the Outstanding Team Award by the Hospital Authority this year.
