At the start of every New Year, millions of Americans resolve to go on a diet, most will fail. As the waistbands of Americans continues to expand, the demand for weight loss surgery is continually rising. More and more people are going under the knife to get the weight off, but is weight loss surgery the answer to obesity?
If you have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater, you are considered obese. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported approximately 26.7% of Americans were obese in 2009; that’s over a quarter of the entire nation.
In order to qualify for bariatric weight loss surgery, you must be considered morbidly obese, (BMI≥40 and weighing 100 pounds or more over the ideal body weight); and you must have also tried and failed at conventional forms of weight loss. Currently, there are several weight loss surgery options available, including the gastric bypass, stomach banding, and stomach stapling. The types of surgeries fall into one of two categories:
Restrictive Surgery
Physically makes the stomach smaller, by banding or stapling. Reducing the size of the stomach limits the amount of food intake, which results in weight loss.
Malabsorptive/Restrictive Surgery
Not only makes the stomach smaller, but also removes part of the digestive track, making it harder for the body to absorb calories. A reduction in the amount of caloric intake, causes the body to lose weight.
The following health conditions are drastically reduced following bariatric surgery:
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- High Cholesterol
- Heart Disease
- Sleep Apnea
- Asthma
Despite the obvious quality of life improvement that many patients experience following gastric procedures, the risks can be life threatening:
- Death
- Gastrointestinal leakage
- Internal Bleeding
- Infection
- Bowel Obstructions
- Too Much Weight Loss
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Vitamin Deficiencies
Surgery is not the solution to the problem, it’s merely a band-aid. There are several factors that contribute to obesity: genetics, environment, and sedentary habits. There is no easy answer to weight loss, even surgery demands that your lifestyle change. The only tried and true way to lose weight and keep it off is through diet and exercise. Anyone who has successfully lost weight, will agree that it’s hard work. It takes commitment and dedication. Losing weight is not just about physical changes, but about psychological changes too. It means changing the way that you think about food and its purpose in your life. It means making a choice to live.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and should not be used for diagnosis or to guide treatment without the opinion of a health professional. Any reader who is concerned about his or her health should contact a doctor for advice.
Stacey Donaldson - I have worked in the life and health insurance industry for nearly 15 years. I have recently begun to dive into the world of freelance ...
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