The Obesity Epidemic: Treating Bariatric Patients (Inperspect1ve‪)‬

Nearly 135 million adults in the United States are either overweight or obese; 14 million are considered morbidly obese, and an amazing 1 million are considered mega-obese. (1) (Overweight is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 to 29.9. An individual with a BMI of 40 or more is considered morbidly obese and a BMI of 70 or greater is considered mega-obese). The American Obesity Association (AOA) reports that the age group with the highest prevalence of obesity among men is 65 to 74 years and among women, 55 to 65 years. Statistics shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convey that there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States over the past 20 years. In2006,onlyfour states had a prevalence of obesity that was less than 20 percent. This significant increase in older adult obesity coupled with associated comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, apnea, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses is also increasing the demand for nursing facilities to admit and treat bariatric residents. Bariatrics is the field of medicine that specializes in treating morbid or extreme obesity. The consequences of morbid obesity are numerous and diverse. Obesity increases the risk of illness from about 30 serious medical conditions and is associated with increases in deaths from all causes. (2) As nursing facilities consider whether to admit bariatric patients, they must be well-prepared to manage the exceptional needs of this distinct group.