BARIATRIC

What is Obesity?

Obesity is a chronic disease process; it is not a defect in one’s personality or character. It is influenced by multiple factors in complex reaction between genetics (60%) and the surrounding environment (40%).

Medical treatment and different diet regimens have failed to treat this problem in a sustained long term fashion 95-97% of the time based on multiple well established and done studies in the medical literature.

SURGICAL TREATMENT SO FAR PROVIDES THE ONLY LONG TERM SUSTAINED SUCCESS in treating severe obesity. It is however of paramount importance to understand that medical treatment prepares the patients for better outcomes after surgery. It is also important to understand that surgery is a “tool” and not a solution to this problem; it helps patients maintain a different and healthy lifestyle. The patient must be an active participant especially after surgery to attain his goals of a better life and health. It all starts with a strong and determined will for change.

The decision to undergo surgery is probably the most important in your life as it is a life-changing experience. We stress that we do not see surgery as a ‘last resort’ after reasonable alternatives have failed.

Definition of Severe Obesity:

According to the American National Institute of Health (NIH), it is defined as:

Body Mass Index (BMI) > 40 kg/m2 or,

 BMI of > 35kg/m2 with at least two of the obesity associated diseases which are:

• Type II Diabetes.
• High blood pressure.
• Coronary artery disease
• Congestive heart failure.
• Elevated Cholesterol.
• Sleep apnea.
• Asthma
• Arthritis of weight bearing joints.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Gallbladder disease.
• Infertility.
• Urinary stress incontinence.
• Varicose veins
• Breast or Uterine cancer.
• Depression.

This definition has widened recently to include patients with BMI > 30 kg/m2 with associated uncontrolled type II diabetes given the higher chance of remission with surgery compared to conventional medical and weight loss treatment.

PROCEDURES:

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
• Overweight = 25–29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater