Obesity? Think Surgery Articles | Nutrition

Some startling statistics emerged from a recent national survey which mentions that 55% of Americans are overweight, 22% are obese and as many as 8 million are morbidly obese. While these facts are extremely disturbing, morbid obesity is particularly dangerous. When a person’s body weight is 100 pounds more than the ideal body weight commensurate with his height, or, the body mass index (BMI) is 40 or higher – the person is considered morbidly obese. According to conventional theory, this was caused by overeating combined with lack of physical activity. But modern theory contributes morbid obesity to several factors including genetics, environmental, cultural, socioeconomic and psychological. With 400,000 annual deaths contributed to this reason alone, the vastness and seriousness of this problem can easily be fathomed. It can even result in a host of ailments including premature death.

Diet control and physical workouts need not work for every one. The morbidly obese people try every other fad diet program but more weight comes back than they lost. For such chronic problems there is only one solution – surgery. Gastric bypass or bariatric surgical procedures have been known to assist many people who are victims of morbid obesity. The surgical techniques use modern methods of surgery which are relatively safer. For instance, laparoscopic methods mean lesser incision dimensions on the abdomen. Costs for such surgeries are high ranging from $14,000 to $50,000 which is usually covered by health insurance. This form of surgery is applicable for anyone with a BMI higher than 40 or a BMI more than 35 which is combined with medical complications resulting from obesity. Those with eating disorders are not allowed this type of surgeries where a thorough psychological examination is done for the patient prior to surgery.

Of the three types of bariatric surgeries, two focus on reduction of stomach size without interfering with the small intestine. These use gastric banding and vertical banded gastroplasty. The reduced-size stomach gets filled up easily and the person eats less. The emptying time of the stomach is also slowed and the entire food is absorbed by the body. It is of course possible to increase the size of the stomach by eating more in future, which is exactly what 10% of the patients land up doing. This results in regaining weight all over again.

The Roux-en-Y procedure is the third and the most popular type of bariatric surgery. This method reduces the size of the stomach and narrows the passage between stomach and small intestine, though bypassing a large section of the organ. This bypassed section of the small intestine is the place where all the absorption of food takes place. Though this procedure promises maximum long term success it may also result in subsequent mal-absorption and nutritional deficiency. Calcium, iron and vitamin B2 deficiencies result in anemia and osteoporosis. To avoid this problem, nutritional supplements are often prescribed.

While blood clots, delayed wound healing and even death could result from complications of any type of bariatric surgery, the major benefits of weight loss like reversal of type 2 diabetes, lowering of blood pressure, a healthier heart, with steady blood lipid levels, relief from breathing problems during sleep, improved quality of life and lowered risk of premature death far outweighs the risks involved. But surgery alone can not solve the obesity problem. It has to be adequately backed by fitness exercises and balanced diet to maintain the corrected weight achieved through surgery.