Obesity and Bariatric Surgery awareness in the Kocaeli province, a leading industrial city in Turkey.

Objectives: An increase in the prevelance of obesity is a worldwide problem. It many serious health problems, especially cardiovascular diseases and type-2 diabetes mellitus. Conservative therapies such as diet modification and exercise are the most preferable obesity treatments. Bariatric surgery is the most appropriate treatment in suitable patients. Several studies showed that a very low number of patients prefer bariatric surgery even though it would be appropriate. This study aimed to assess and raise awareness about the obesity level, its complications, and treatment methods, especially bariatric surgery among obese patients in Kocaeli, which is one of the most socio-economically developed cities, as well as the leading industrial city in Turkey.

Material And Methods: A survey was designed to assess the knowledge about obesity, its complications, and bariatric surgery in the Kocaeli province. It was administered to 232 adult patients with a body mass index greater than 30 in different outpatient clinics where patients suffering obesity were treated.

Results: It has been seen that although the contribution factors and complications of obesity are well known, awareness of the body mass index was insufficient. Most of patients have tried to lose weight at least once and most patients have heard of bariatric surgery before. However, the details were not well known. The gastric band method is the most known method, and the most known risk of surgery was death. The main source of knowledge about bariatric surgery was television. The increasing body mass index affects patients' attitudes toward the surgery positively.

Conclusion: Knowledge of bariatric surgery is inadequate in the Kocaeli province, which is one of the most socio-economically developed cities, as well as the leading industrial city in Turkey. More social responsibility projects and more objective elucidating via television and social media are also needed to increase the awareness of bariatric surgery.