Comprehensive treatment of overweight and obesity

Overweight and obesity are a plague of our times – according to statistics, in Poland they affect 62% of men and 50% of women aged 20 to 74, as well as – what is particularly concerning – an increasing number of children. It is important to realize that obesity is a disease that requires treatment, and its therapy is multifaceted. It includes, among other things, abdominal wall contouring after losing excess weight, which can be performed at the Wilmed clinic.

What is the difference between overweight and obesity? Overweight is defined as an accumulation of body fat exceeding accepted norms but still at a moderate level (body mass index BMI for overweight individuals ranges from about 25 to 29.99). Obesity, on the other hand, is an advanced, pathological excess of body fat significantly exceeding the body\’s needs. Obesity is a disease in itself but increases the risk of other conditions: hypertension, atherosclerosis, strokes and heart attacks, joint diseases, and even some cancers. In obese individuals, the BMI exceeds 30.

Treatment of overweight and obesity – what does it include?

When it comes to treating overweight, which is not yet a disease state, in most cases introducing the principles of a healthy, balanced diet and physical activity is sufficient. Note! It is better not to attempt weight loss on your own but to consult specialized dietitians and trainers who will help design a nutritional and training plan so that weight loss is effective, healthy, and does not end with the unpleasant yo-yo effect.

Treating pathological obesity requires different measures. It includes not only learning the principles of healthy eating and regular physical activity – sometimes it also requires pharmacological and psychological intervention (especially if it results from uncontrolled binge eating) and bariatric surgery procedures (e.g., stomach reduction).

Abdominal wall contouring at the end of treatment

The final element of successful obesity treatment should be abdominal wall contouring – while after losing a few to a dozen kilograms the skin can adjust itself to the new body shape, after losing several dozen kilograms there remains an unsightly reminder in the form of hanging skin folds. By removing these, tightening the abdominal wall, and performing plastic surgery on the anterior abdominal muscles, a noticeable flattening effect of these areas can be achieved.

At the Wilmed clinic, abdominal wall contouring is always performed by experienced and specialized surgeons after prior consultations. The procedure is performed on generally healthy individuals under general anesthesia, supervised by our anesthesiologists. Depending on the extent of the procedure, full recovery takes from several to a dozen weeks.

Finally, an important note. Abdominal wall contouring should not be considered a weight loss method – it is not performed on obese individuals but only on patients who have already completed the obesity treatment process.