Understanding Bariatric Surgery: A Medical Solution for Obesity and Metabolic Diseases

Obesity can no longer be dismissed as merely a matter of appearance or lifestyle. Medical experts emphasise that obesity is a serious chronic disease requiring continuous medical management due to its risk of triggering various fatal complications.

Dr Errawan Wiradisuria, a Digestive Surgery Specialist Consultant at RS Premier Bintaro, revealed that public perception in Indonesia regarding obesity needs correction. Many believe the condition is solely the result of excessive eating or lack of exercise, whereas the impact is far more complex.

“World health organisations such as the American Medical and Canadian Medical Associations have categorised obesity as a chronic disease. In Indonesia, the challenge is changing the stigma that this is not just a lifestyle issue,” Errawan stated during a media gathering in Jakarta.

The accumulation of body fat in obesity sufferers affects the entire metabolic system, triggering various comorbidities that drastically reduce quality of life. In managing severe obesity, conventional methods such as diet and exercise sometimes fail to provide significant long-term results. This is where the role of bariatric-metabolic surgery becomes crucial. Errawan emphasised that this procedure is a medical therapy, not an aesthetic procedure.

“The primary goal is to improve overall health conditions and control metabolic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure,” he explained. One popular technique is Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) due to its minimally invasive nature and relatively short recovery period.

Despite the WHO having classified obesity as a disease since 2011, Dr Errawan acknowledged significant challenges regarding financing. To date, bariatric surgery is not widely covered by private insurance or BPJS Kesehatan, as it is still frequently misunderstood as a cosmetic procedure.

Echoing this sentiment, the CEO of RS Premier Bintaro, Dr Relia Sari, emphasised the importance of early education. According to her, many patients only seek medical assistance once complications have become severe. “We are committed to providing comprehensive services through a multidisciplinary approach involving specialists and nutritionists. Early intervention significantly helps in increasing patient life expectancy,” concluded Relia.