Bariatric Surgery And The Fight Against Obesity

By Phyllis Schroeder


Obesity is known as a condition which the individual has high levels of fat in his body that it can negatively impact health of the person or disrupt his everyday activities. This would increase the likelihood of acquiring physical ailments and possibly reducing his life span. An obese person has higher chance of getting heart disease, some types of cancer, type II diabetes, and osteoarthritis.

According to the 2010 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, there are more than 2 in 3 adults in the US that are recognized as overweight or obese. The American Medical Association then categorized it as a chronic disease in 2013. Professionals understand how difficult it is for some patients to treat obesity with exercise and diet alone, and so the best decision for them would be to undergo surgery after all other options have been exhausted. New Jersey bariatric surgery requires that this be offered only when the patients have a BMI ranging from 35 to 40 without comorbidities or 30 to 35 if they have comorbidities.

Historically, a large weight was highly regarded as a symbol of wealth and fertility, and it still holds true in other parts of the world. Much of the modern world stigmatizes it though. Aside from being regarded as a chronic disease, in 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled morbid obesity as a disability due to reasons that if it prevents the individual from engaging fully in his professional life, the employer should see it as a disability and that firing him on such grounds is discriminatory.

Weight gain happens when there is energy imbalance or the calorie taken in is higher than the amount being burned. There are also factors such as genetic makeup, culture, eating habit, mood, geography, income, and lifestyle that can cause energy imbalance leading to weight gain. The most common solution would be to eliminate excessive food intake and increase bodily activities.

In some cases, this condition can be genetic and an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise will only make it worse. Bariatic surgery is an effective method to achieving long term weight loss especially in Englewood, NJ, where obesity is also prevalent. This gives patients the help they need in the most painless, fastest, and safest way.

Doctors always remind patients that surgery is a big and serious decision to make. They educate them about the surgery, the risks, the benefits, and the possible effects of the treatment. Physicians also instruct them on what to expect regarding post operative changes.

There are different techniques to this procedure, and one of them is the reduction of the stomach size through the use of a removable gastric band or a Lap Band. Another technique is by removing a portion of the stomach and is called a gastric bypass. The doctor can also redirect the small intestines to a tiny stomach bag called Laparoscopic Roux en Y.

There is no specific practice being followed by everyone when it comes to maintaining the weight loss. After the bypass surgery, some individuals still feel that they have not achieved the goal that they want. Others even gained weight. The amount of fat regained may differ significantly on the level of obesity and type of operation.

For success to be achieved, patients must also commit to lifelong healthy eating and physical activity. They also need to change their habits and continue visiting for medical followup their whole lives. Healthcare professionals can help patients adjust to the physical and emotional changes so that the transformation will be more fulfilling and lasting.




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