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Obesity true facts
Obesity is a problem that affects all countries around the world. Its incidence ranges from 74% in American Samoa to 2.1% in Vietnam. Portugal is more or less in the middle, with approximately 20% (2019 census) of obese people.
Obesity is calculated by measuring the Body Mass Index (BMI) which is found by dividing weight in kilograms by height squared, thus giving us a score whose average value is scaled. A normal BMI is considered for a score up to 24.9 kg / m2, overweight is for a score in between 25 and 29.9 kg / m2. Grade I is for a BMI between 30 and 34.9 kg / m2, and grade II is for a BMI between 35 and 39.9 kg / m2. Above 40 is grade III also known as morbid obesity.
The total obese population in the world is approximately 2 billion and about 3 million people die annually from this disease. In relation to the decrease in life expectancy in this group of people, there is also a decrease in the quality of life as it is quite affected by the existence of several associated diseases. Heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, kidney disease, high blood pressure and even certain cancers where discrimination prevails and where self-esteem is at a very low level, leading to a lack of social achievement.
The treatment of obesity, after all its causes are ruled out, always entails behavioral changes. It is a multidisciplinary treatment that includes a dietary, psychological, and sometimes surgical intervention, with inputs from Gastroenterology through General Surgery, whenever loss of weight cannot be achieved other than through surgical means. These efforts are essential to improve the quality of obese people’s lives.
Bariatric Surgery Specialist
Dr. José Pedro Pinto is a specialist in General Surgery with an Integrated Master’s Degree in Medicine from the Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Porto. After completing his specialist training in 2019, he worked for three years in the Head and Neck Surgery Unit. Since 2021, he has been a key member of the Obesity Surgical Treatment Unit (UTCO) at ULS Braga, a team that performs between 250 and 300 bariatric surgery procedures annually.
Dr. José Pedro Pinto has amassed over 10 years of surgical experience, particularly focusing on endocrine and cervical pathology, including thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, salivary glands, and congenital neck lesions, as well as metabolic and bariatric surgery. From the early stages of his career, he developed advanced laparoscopic surgery skills, which he regularly employs in both elective and emergency surgical settings.
Additionally, Dr. José Pedro Pinto has a strong interest in trauma care. Since 2023, he has been an active member of the Via Verde de Trauma Working Group at Braga Hospital and serves as a senior instructor for International Trauma Life Support. He has pursued extensive training in trauma care, with a particular focus on Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). Dr Pinto is currently an instructor and coordinator for the advanced E-FAST course at PocusX.
He has authored and co-authored numerous scientific papers published in reputable journals and presented at national and international congresses and scientific meetings. Notably, in 2022, he received international recognition with a distinction from the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders.
Dr. José Pedro Pinto is a member of several prestigious scientific societies, including the Sociedade Portuguesa de Cirurgia, Sociedade Portuguesa de Cirurgia da Obesidade e Doenças Metabólicas, European Society of Endocrine Surgeons, International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders, and the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists.
