Chennai, May 9 (IANS): A bariatric surgery performed at the Apollo Hospital at Perungudi here on Saturday was broadcast live to around 100 doctors from different hospitals using high speed internet service, the hospital said in a statement.

The hospital did the live streaming of the operation by Prem Kumar Balachandran using Reliance Jio's 'Jionet' high speed Wi-Fi internet service so that other doctors benefit as a part of their continuing medical education.

"Ability to do live-streaming of surgical procedure is an essential requirement for medical training and we believe that harnessing technology in this way will eventually become a core component of medical education system," Sanjay Mashruwala, managing director, Reliance Jio was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Jionet high speed internet services will significantly enhance access to healthcare and lower healthcare costs for citizens across the country, especially those in rural or under-served areas," he added.

Bariatric surgery is done on obese people to remove a portion of their stomach so as to reduce food intake and results in weight loss in the long run.

According to Apollo Hospitals, 25 percent of India's people are overweight, of which nine percent are morbidly obese which amounts to a staggering 2.5 million.

Incidence of childhood obesity is on the rise due to changing lifestyles and these children are more likely to develop obesity-related complications at an earlier age.

Obesity is not a cosmetic problem alone, and can be associated with and also result in heart disorders, diabetes, hypertension, mental problems, osteoporosis, arthritis, polycystic ovarian disease, and infertility.

"Metabolic syndrome" is the term for people who suffer from obesity associated with diabetes, hypertension and cardiac problems. The outlook towards these patients and their management has undergone a paradigm shift today and they are investigated and treated more aggressively with the aim of treating all the co-morbidities.