Prevalence of Obesity will Have Widespread Impact throughout Health Care Industry Over the Next 5 Years, According to Millennium Research Group

March 21, 2007—Waltham, Massachusetts— Millennium Research Group (MRG) has conducted a detailed analysis of surgical procedures in its US Surgical Procedure Volumes 2007 report. The report finds that over 11 million Americans are considered morbidly obese, and by 2011, over 13 million will be -- driving the volume of surgical procedures in the US throughout the next five years. “It is increasingly common for morbidly obese individuals to require treatment for various obesity-related conditions,” says Jaya Classen, senior analyst at MRG. “The prevalence of obesity is having ripple effects in unexpected ways. Our research shows that procedures are on the rise for everything from kidney stones to heart disease”.

Obesity, particularly morbid obesity, can contribute to the onset of an extensive list of diseases and/or conditions that lead to surgical intervention. In addition to coronary artery disease, obese individuals also have a higher risk of developing incontinence, colon and prostate cancer, and arthritis.

MRG’s US Surgical Procedure Volumes 2007 discusses bariatric surgery as well as other traditional and emerging surgical procedures. It covers over 200 different procedures including anesthetic, cardiovascular, dental, diagnostic imaging, endoscopy, general surgery, gynecology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, urology, and varicose vein markets. MRG also has similar coverage of Japanese and European surgical procedures.