Ireland is on the verge of becoming the most obese country in Europe after a newly published report has found surgeries for obesity here rose by a massive 50% in the past year.
Thee report which was published by the HSE and released under the Freedom of Information Act also revealed that the health service spent more than €1 million, on procedures such as bariatric surgery last year.
According to the report Ireland’s obesity rate is rapidly rising with more and more people availing of the surgery that limits food intake which in turn promotes rapid weight loss.
The HSE say a total of 112 people had the costly procedure which roughly costs €9,200 per patient.
It also found that in the past eight years the health service which currently has an overspend of over €500m, spent in the region of €5.2million on the same surgery for 637 patients.
The alarming report has now led to many consultants to call on the health service to provide further information on obesity and the major problems it causes in order to encourage the Irish public to manage their weight and what they eat.
One leading consultant said: “Although there are some medical conditions that contribute to obesity and rapid weight gain, the main cause in obesity rates is down to people having a poor diet and a lack of exercise.”
“Combine both these cases and it will more than likely end up in a recipe for disaster as people will become more and more obese which in turn will cause major health problems that will leave people with very little option but to undertake such a drastic surgery.”