Saturday, August 22, 2015

Bariatric Surgery And The Fight Against Obesity

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.

As per National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2010, there are 2 out of 3 adult individuals in the country that are revealed to be obese. This was also categorized by the American Medical Association in 2013 as a chronic condition. Doctors know that some people cannot remove the excess fats with diet and more exercise, so the best choice for them is to go through surgery when all other methods have been futile. New Jersey bariatric surgery recommends that this operation should only be done for patients whose BMI reaches 35 up to 40 without any comorbidities or a BMI of 30 up to 35 for those who 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.

Certain individuals become obese because of a mix of reasons like genetic makeup and an unhealthy eating habit. One way to effectively shed those excess fats is an operation called bariatric surgery which is popular in Englewood, NJ. Individuals who have done all they could to lose fat deposits can now opt for this safe and painless procedure.

Surgery is still a very serious decision though. Patients need to be educated about the operation itself, its risks and benefits, and the treatment effects. They also have to be made aware of the changes they need to adjust to right after the operation.

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.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment