Obesity Facts & How Weight Loss Surgery Can Help
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Obesity Facts – Obesity in the U.S.
Many health care professionals are showing concern over the alarming rise of obesity in American adults and children. The obesity epidemic has been linked to a less active lifestyle, as well as larger portions of food and increased caloric intake. If left untreated, health care professionals worry obesity-related diseases will cost the country billions of dollars in health costs. In 2003 alone, direct health costs attributed to obesity were approximately $75 billion.
Additional obesity facts cite that from 1980 to 2000, the rate of obese Americans doubled, with more than 30 percent of the adult population being clinically obese. The obesity epidemic is also affecting the new generation, with more children being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, an obesity-related medical condition originally believed to only afflict adults.
Types of Bariatric Surgery – Gastric Bypass Surgery & Gastric Banding
One of the most effective ways to combat obesity is to undergo bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery. Bariatric surgery is an elective procedure that surgically restricts the size of the stomach in order to limit the amount of food a patient can consume. There are several different forms of bariatric surgery, including gastric bypass surgery, gastric banding, gastric sleeve resection, duodenal switch and transoral gastroplasty.
Gastric banding is the only adjustable, reversible technique of bariatric surgery, making it an appealing option to those who wish for a less permanent form of weight loss surgery. During the procedure, a weight loss surgeon applies a medical banding device around the stomach to restrict the amount of food it can hold. As a result, patients are able to feel full on less amounts of food and drastically reduce their caloric intake.
The two most widely requested types of gastric banding procedures are Lapband and Realize band. The Lap Band is a silicone gastric band connected to a port, which gives patients the options to adjust the constraint of the band to meet their needs. The Realize band is also a silicone gastric band, however, the band contains a small balloon that is in direct contact with the stomach. Additionally, the Realize band system utilizes the Realize Injection Port, which attaches to the abdominal wall and allows easy access for the surgeon to tighten or loosen the Realize band.
Another highly requested procedure is gastric bypass — a permanent approach to weight loss surgery. Some techniques of gastric bypass surgically extract segments of the stomach, while others “staple” the stomach to restrict its size.
A relatively new technique in weight loss surgery is gastric sleeve resection, a procedure intended to treat patients who are not good candidates for invasive bariatric surgery. The procedure allows patients to lose significant amounts of weight quickly and safely, so they can obtain healthier weight ranges to be become better candidates for other techniques of weight loss surgery.
When determining which technique of bariatric surgery is right for patients, it is important to meet with a skilled weight loss surgeon to discuss their options. Often, they will suggest a procedure that will meet patients' needs, as well as respect patients' initial health conditions in order to achieve the best results possible.