Medical Science
Volume 25, Issue 108, February, 2021
Awareness towards obesity and bariatric surgery in Tabuk region
Fauwaz Fahad Alrashid1, Raief Fahad Ali Alfriedy1, Ragahd Ali Mohammed Albdair1, Ethar Abed Awad Allah Alsulami1, Alhanouf Mutlaq Salem Alazaima1, Ayoub Hamdan Abis Alshehri1, Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed1,2♦
1College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
2Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS,
University of Khartoum, Sudan
♦Corresponding author
College of Medicine, University of Ha’il,
Saudi Arabia;
Email: hussaingad5@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
2Department of Histopathology and Cytology, FMLS, University of Khartoum, Sudan
College of Medicine, University of Ha’il, Saudi Arabia; Email: hussaingad5@gmail.com
Background: Bariatric surgery embodies as an effective mean for treating morbid obesity. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate
the awareness level towards obesity and Bariatric Surgery in Tabuk Region. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was
conducted in the Tabuk region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during 2020-2021. Subjects of this study were adults aged more than 18
years for both genders living in the Tabuk region, regardless of nationality, excluding adults below 18 years, medical staff, mentally
disabled, younger than 18 years, and those living outside the Tabuk region. Results: On asking the participants, "Did you experience
obesity," about 47% responded "Yes." On asking the participants "Did you experience bariatric surgery" around 86% replied "Yes."
On asking the participants, "have you a family history of obesity" over 58% retorted, "Yes." On asking the participants, "Did you
consider your current weight is harmful to your health" around 131(48%) answered "Yes." On asking the participants, "Are you
curing about weight/physical appearance?", approximately 38% replied “Yes." Conclusion: Obesity/overweight health knowledge is
poor among obese and those who have experienced bariatric surgeries in Saudi Arabia, which imposes further efforts at the
community level. Knowledge of bariatric surgery-associated factors, including health benefits and complications, is low in the
Tabuk area, necessitating educational interventions.
Keywords: Obesity, bariatric surgery, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, awareness
Medical Science, 2021, 25(108), 401-409
