Prevalence of Obesity in Abdominal Surgery Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Obesity significantly impacts surgical outcomes, increasing the risk of postoperative complications, especially in abdominal surgery. Objective To determine the prevalence of obesity among patients undergoing abdominal surgery and to explore its association with postoperative complications. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to December 2023. There were 428 adult patients in total, either for emergency or elective abdominal surgery. A BMI of ≥30 kg/m² was used by the World Health Organization to define obesity. We gathered and examined data on postoperative complications, surgical outcomes, comorbidities, and demographics. Chi-square and t-tests were used to assess the prevalence of obesity and its relationship to complications; a p-value of less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results Among 428 patients, 151 (35.28%) were obese. Obese patients had significantly higher rates of wound infections, with 36 (23.84%) compared to 28 (10.11%) non-obese patients (p = 0.001). Venous thromboembolism occurred in 18 (11.92%) obese patients versus nine (3.25%) non-obese patients (p = 0.002). Respiratory complications were more frequent in obese patients, with 27 (17.88%) compared to 31 (11.19%) non-obese patients (p = 0.045). Prolonged hospital stays (>7 days) were reported in 52 (34.44%) obese patients versus 39 (14.08%) non-obese patients (p < 0.001). Additionally, obesity was associated with longer surgery durations (124.35 ± 35.82 minutes in obese patients versus 108.65 ± 29.44 minutes in non-obese patients, p = 0.003) and extended recovery times (11.58 ± 5.67 days versus 8.73 ± 4.25 days, p = 0.002). Conclusion Patients having abdominal surgery are often obese, which is linked to an increased risk of complications and lengthier recovery times.