Alanazi Ryanh H, Hussain Malik A, Alanazi Rayan H, Alanazi Saja R, Alanazi Rouh Maskhur K, Fawzy Manal S
College of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar, SAU.
Department of Surgery, Northern Border University, Arar, SAU.
Cureus. 2023 Dec 10;15(12):e50261. doi: 10.7759/cureus.50261. eCollection 2023 Dec.
Introduction Obesity is a complex health issue affecting millions worldwide, characterized by excessive body fat accumulation, often leading to various health complications. Bariatric surgeries are effective interventions for severe obesity, assisting patients in attaining substantial weight reduction and enhancing their overall well-being. This study aimed to assess obesity patterns and bariatric surgery prevalence in the Northern Borders region of Saudi Arabia to increase community knowledge and awareness about obesity and bariatric surgery. Methods This cross-sectional study included 386 residents in the Northern Borders region, Saudi Arabia. The participants completed a previously validated self-administered electronic questionnaire, and the confidentiality of the collected data was ensured. Results Nearly 58.3% of the participants (31-40 years), with a predominance of females, had a body mass index (BMI) >30, and 33.7% had undergone bariatric surgery. Most participants (92.5%) were aware that obesity is associated with significant medical issues, 98.2% appreciated that there is a surgical method to reduce weight, and 58.8% indicated that the procedure was not safe. Additionally, the majority of the respondents (57.0%) were not sure about the complications of weight-loss surgeries, and only 28.0% knew that surgeries for obesity and their complications may lead to death. Significant associations were found between age, education level, and BMI concerning the knowledge of obesity/bariatric surgery (p=0.003, 0.001, 0.002), respectively. However, gender and work status did not show such associations (p> 0.05). Conclusion Our study highlighted a lack of knowledge among the community regarding the safety, potential complications, and survival outcomes associated with obesity and bariatric surgery that could be due to ignorance and reluctance to pursue bariatric surgery to overcome morbid obesity. Significantly, the study found a relationship between age, education level, BMI, and knowledge of obesity and bariatric surgery.
引言
肥胖是一个复杂的健康问题，影响着全球数百万人，其特征是身体脂肪过度堆积，常常导致各种健康并发症。减肥手术是治疗重度肥胖的有效干预措施，可帮助患者大幅减轻体重并改善整体健康状况。本研究旨在评估沙特阿拉伯北部边境地区的肥胖模式和减肥手术患病率，以提高社区对肥胖和减肥手术的认识。
方法
这项横断面研究纳入了沙特阿拉伯北部边境地区的386名居民。参与者完成了一份先前经过验证的自我管理电子问卷，并确保了所收集数据的保密性。
结果
近58.3%的参与者（年龄在31至40岁之间）体重指数（BMI）>30，其中女性占多数，33.7%的人接受过减肥手术。大多数参与者（92.5%）意识到肥胖与重大医疗问题有关，98.2%的人知道有一种手术方法可以减轻体重，58.8%的人表示该手术不安全。此外，大多数受访者（57.0%）不确定减肥手术的并发症，只有28.0%的人知道肥胖手术及其并发症可能导致死亡。在年龄、教育水平和BMI与肥胖/减肥手术知识之间分别发现了显著关联（p=0.003、0.001、0.002）。然而，性别和工作状态未显示出此类关联（p>0.05）。
结论
我们的研究强调，社区对与肥胖和减肥手术相关的安全性、潜在并发症和生存结果缺乏了解，这可能是由于无知以及不愿接受减肥手术来克服病态肥胖所致。值得注意的是，该研究发现年龄、教育水平、BMI与肥胖和减肥手术知识之间存在关联。
