Severe obesity is resistant to maintaining conventional weight loss therapies such as consuming fewer calories, increasing exercise, or commercial weight-loss programs. Bariatric surgery is the only effective treatment to combat severe obesity and maintain weight loss in the long term.
The
weight loss tool of bariatric surgery includes gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, or
laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. They work by changing the anatomy of the
gastrointestinal tract (stomach and digestive system). The production of
intestinal hormones is affected in a way that reduces hunger and increases
feelings of fullness. The end result is reduction in the frequency of eating. 90
percent of bariatric patients are able to maintain a long-term loss of 50
percent excess body weight.
Significant
weight loss is also associated with a number of other changes in the body. After
this procedure, you may find yourself engaging in physical activity more (such
as walking, biking, or swimming). Increased physical activity (combined with weight
loss) may improve your body’s ability to burn fat, lead to a positive personal
attitude, and decrease stress levels. Benefits
of sustained weight loss through bariatric surgery include:
1.
Alleviate other
medical conditions: Bariatric surgery can lessen
illnesses such as metabolic syndrome, pregnancy complications, and gallbladder
disease.
2.
Eliminate
obstructive sleep apnea: Achieving and sustaining a normal weight range
often allows people with sleep apnea to stop using a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine
at bedtime.
3.
Improve
fertility: Bariatric surgery can also improve fertility during
childbearing years.
4.
Improved
cardiovascular health: Bariatric surgery decreases a
person’s risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral heart disease.
Blood pressure and cholesterol levels can return to normal (or near normal)
after surgery reducing these risks and improving overall well-being.
5.
Joint pain
relief: Carrying around excessive weight puts a lot of stress on
your weight-bearing joints often causing chronic pain and joint damage. The
significant improvement that occurs after bariatric surgery relieves the stress
on joints, and often allows people to stop using pain medications and enjoy
much more mobility.
6.
Long-term
remission for type 2 diabetes: Bariatric
surgery causes long-term remission of difficult-to-control type 2 diabetes. The
procedure is highly effective for obese patients with type 2 diabetes. It
allows almost all patients to remain free of insulin and additional medications
for at least three years post surgery.
7.
Relief of
depression: Many obese people feel depressed because of poor body image
and social stigma. Even younger people who carry significant excess weight find
it difficult to participate in activities they might otherwise enjoy. This
leads to social isolation and depression. Losing this excess weight can improve
emotional health in these patients.
“Is 'fat' really the worst thing a
human being can be? Is 'fat' worse than 'vindictive', 'jealous', 'shallow',
'vain', 'boring' or 'cruel'? Not to me.”
(J.K. Rowling)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“7 Bariatric Surgery Benefits
Besides Helping You Lose Weight” by Cleveland Clinic
·
“Benefits
of Bariatric Surgery” by ASMBS
·
“Continuous Positive Airway Pressure” from Wikipedia
·
This post is dedicated to my lovely wife, Bobbi,
who successfully underwent bariatric surgery in August 2014. See the transformation pictures below.
 |
| Before |
 |
| After (with our daughter, Allena) |
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