Gastric balloon is a non-invasive, non-surgical, reversible weight loss procedure that is gaining popularity in recent times, especially among modern urban women. Gastric balloon in India is a worthy weight loss aid, which is almost a natural weight loss method and provides twice as much benefit as compared to diet and exercise.

Obese individuals who are struggling with weight management find it difficult to lose weight through exercise and diet owing to the busy and demanding lifestyle. Attempting to lose weight through diet and exercises seems like a futile effort. For such individuals who wished there was an aid to help them lose weight and make healthy lifestyle choices, now have an effective solution – gastric balloon. A statistical data suggests that there is a steady rise in the number of patients choosing gastric balloon in India, and most of these patients are young working women living in urban cities.

Gastric Balloon

Gastric balloon is a medical device used in an intragastric endoscopic procedure in which the inflated silicone balloon is put into the stomach and held there for 6–12 months. This is widely known as a balloon for weight loss which is designed to help individuals eat less and feel full faster when eating. It allows for less food storage space and helps the body adjust to small portions. This endoscopic weight loss procedure has shown great results and little to no complications.

Women who are overweight and are looking to lose about 15-30 percent of their excess weight are ideal candidates for this procedure. The reason women choose this procedure is that it is temporary does not alter the anatomy of the stomach and involves no surgery or cut. Co-morbidities such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and metabolic syndrome also showed significant reductions in patients who chose to undergo gastric balloon in India.

Increase in ObesityCount

More than one in four adults are diagnosed with obesity annually, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Sedentary lifestyle adoption and unhealthy practices are major causes of the high prevalence rates of obesity.

In 2018, the number of patients who underwent gastric balloons was over 78%, with a growth rate of 12.4%. The high rate of growth is due to growing awareness among obese female patients, along with the increasing acceptance of both non-invasive and non-surgical procedures.

Ease of administration and soft silicone substance provides weight reduction in a short period of time, which has boosted business growth. A major growth factor is a reduction in postoperative pain and complications with the use of a non-surgical gastric balloon. Other advantages associated with using gastric balloons are reduced hospital stays and no blood loss.

The low cost of the gastric balloon in India opposed to other procedures, has also stimulated the demand for intragastric balloons among female patients in the coming years. High disposable income and rising government spending on health care will further drive future business growth.

“Obese patients, and especially young women, find a gastric balloon in India, not just cost-effective but also a great aid to reverse co-morbidities and fertility-related symptoms. People are terming bariatric procedures as diabetes reversible surgery because it is an effective tool to improve the risk of diabetes,” says Dr Jaydeep Palep, a renowned bariatric surgeon in India in this YouTube video about weight-loss surgeries and their benefits.
“I have struggled with weight since I started working, and it was very difficult for me to follow any exercise routine or diet because of my frequent travels. Hence, I choose to undergo a weight loss procedure. I decided on the gastric balloon because it is a no-cut procedure, and I do not have to spend days in the hospital. I can easily resume my daily routine, without displaying any signs that I underwent s weight loss procedure to help me lose weight. Since my procedure, I have lost a considerable amount of weight and also seeing improvement in my PCOS. I feel like I have so much more energy to do things now,” exclaims Lisa Matthews, who underwent gastric balloon surgery 3 months ago.