Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of fat, such that it poses potential health risks to the affected individual (Ogden, Carroll, Fryar & Flegal, 2015). The most commonly used approach for classifying the relation between a person’s weight and his/her health is the body mass index, BMI. The BMI calculates the weight of a person based on that person’s height. Age and gender are factors that are considered when calculating the BMI. Waist circumference is also combined with the BMI approach in diagnosing obesity. Obesity predisposes the patients to other health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, some types of cancer, and cardiovascular diseases (Ahima & Lazar, 2013). Health risks associated with obesity that Mr. C has include sleep apnea and high blood pressure, which he manages by limiting sodium intake.
The surgery is however recommended as last resort for such patients after other interventions like lifestyle adjustments, physical exercises and dietary changes fail. If Mr. C has not tried these interventions, then bariatric surgery may not be advisable. If he has tried the interventions without success, then bariatric surgery is an ideal intervention. Mr. C admits that he has always been heavy even as a child and this perception may have contributed to his current condition. Perception of health affects an individual’s health outcome, as it impacts how the person views health and health management. It is not evident whether Mr. C engages in health management activities such as physical exercises and eating a healthy diet.
The patient reports no metabolic diseases, but he admits to managing sleep apnea and high blood pressure through sodium restriction. He has no indication of elimination dysfunction. Working at a catalogue telephone center means that he spends most of his time sitting down and gets little or no time to exercise. His sleep pattern is complicated by sleep apnea, which could limit the amount of time he gets to rest. Other functional health patterns such as cognitive-perceptual, self-perception, sexuality and coping are not indicated.
The actual and potential problems that are clearly exhibited in this case study include the health perception and management, nutrition, activity and exercise, sleep rest, and self-concept. He believes that he has always been heavy even when he was a small child. This perception could have pushed him into a comfort zone about his health, hence limiting his willingness to engage in health management approaches such as healthy diet, lifestyle changes, and engagement in physical exercises.
The patient doesn’t engage in healthy eating behaviors, other than the limitation of sodium intake. He also takes a snack before going to bed, which is an unhealthy behavior that may contribute to increase in weight. He may want to change this behavior if a healthy weight is to be achieved. Mr. C leads a fairly sedentary lifestyle, predisposing him to a multitude of diseases. Sleep and rest are affected by sleep apnea, while his self-concept is compromised by his current weight and his feelings about himself.
References
Ahima, R. S., & Lazar, M. A. (2013). The health risk of obesity—better metrics imperative.
Science, 341(6148), 856-858.
Buchwald, H., & Oien, D. M. (2013). Metabolic/bariatric surgery worldwide 2011. Obesity
Surgery, 23(4), 427-436.
Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Fryar, C. D., & Flegal, K. M. (2015). Prevalence of obesity
among adults and youth: United States, 2011–2014. NCHS Data Brief, 219(219), 1-8.
