Looking Into The Purpose And Advantage Of Bariatric Surgery

By Phyllis Schroeder


Obesity is defined as a condition of having an excessive amounts of fat in the human body, to such extent that it may negatively affect the health of the individual and his daily activites. This leads to increased health abnormalities and decreased life expectancy. An obese individual may face greater chances of heart conditions, obstructive sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

In the United States alone, more than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be obese according the 2010 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In 2013, the American Medical Association classified it as a chronic disease. Since severe obesity is difficult to treat with diet and exercise alone, surgery may be the best option for patients if they have exhausted all other solutions. The New Jersey bariatric surgery offers this to patients with BMI of 35 to 40 with no comorbidities or a BMI of 30 to 35 with significant 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 increase occurs if the body has an imbalance in its energy or the level of calorie that is taken in is greater than the amount removed or metabolized. Genetic makeup, eating habit, culture, geography, lifestyle, income, and emotions can result to an energy imbalance which leads to weight increase. The most widely practiced solution is to limit excessive eating habit and increase exercise.

Some people become obese due to a combination of factors such as genetic predisposition and an unhealthy lifestyle. An effective way to reducing excess weight is through bariatric surgery and is common in Englewood, NJ. For patients who have done everything they can to get rid of the excess fat, this solution would be the safest, fastest, and most painless 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.

This procedure has three types and one of the techniques is the reduction of the stomach size by using a demountable gastric band or Lap Band. Next type is the removal of a part of the stomach called a gastric bypass. Last would be when the surgeon redirects the small intestines to a little stomach bag known as 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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