NEW DELHI: India has seen a 100-fold increase in weight-loss surgeries in the past 15 years, rising from just 200-odd in 2004 to more than 20,000 in 2019, the Obesity Surgery Society of India said.During this period, the number of surgeons who specialise in the surgery also went up from eight (in 2003) to 450. Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu lead in the number of surgeries performed every year.Weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery involves bypassing or stapling of a portion of the stomach to reduce a person’s appetite.While the rise in bariatric surgeries is an indication of the rapidly growing obesity problem in the country, the number of such procedures performed in India is still way below the US, where 2.5 lakh people went under the knife to reduce weight last year.Dr Arun Prasad , president of OSSI, told TOI most people get weight-loss surgeries done when they are fed up with restrictions in lifestyle and want to look better.Dr Prasad will present the data on bariatric surgeries in India at the World Congress of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) in Spain next month.“The number of people undergoing weight loss surgery for diabetes control and conditions such as snoring and joint pain has also gone up,” said Dr Prasad, who is also the chief of bariatric and metabolic surgery centre at Manipal hospital.“So many people undergoing surgery for obesity and diabetes, which can be prevented or controlled by adopting healthy eating and lifestyle, is not good. The idea behind collecting this data is to warn the policymakers on the urgent need to come up with awareness programmes from the school level on maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” Dr Prasad said.The normal Body Mass Index (BMI) – a person’s weight to height ratio – is 22.5 kg/m2. At 32.5, a person is considered obese and surgery may be suggested. BMIs above 40, 50 and 60 are categorised as morbid obesity, super obesity and super-super obesity, respectively.Doctors say most persons undergoing weight loss surgery are in the age group of 30 to 40 years but, these days, they are also coming across patients as young as 15 years.Dr Pradeep Chowbey, a veteran bariatric surgeon, said he conducted weight loss surgery on a 14-year-old boy from west Delhi who weighed 237kg. Many patients also undergo the surgery for diabetes remission, Dr Chowbey said. “Obesity and diabetes have grown significantly in India over last few years. Compared to that, the number people undergoing surgery for the same is less. This could be because not many people can afford the surgery or they do not have access to surgeons specialising in it,” Dr Chowbey, chairman, Max Institute of Minimal Access, Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery , said.According to experts, nearly 2.5 lakh weight loss surgeries were conducted in the USA in 2018, far more than India.“We are behind all western countries and also Australia , China, and some Latin American countries in the number of surgeries performed. But this is not something to be proud of. Our obese population is increasing by leaps and bounds. Bariatric surgery is expensive and not being covered by insurance makes the situation worse. Many people need this for medical reasons,” said an expert.