If you’re like most people, you wish you could lose weight. You try dieting, with some success. But eventually the pounds creep back on, and all of a sudden you have to push your skinny clothes to the back of the closet again. It’s frustrating, and the latest research doesn’t help. For some, Bariatric Surgery is the answer.
No one seems to be able to agree about what to eat and when. Today’s healthy food is the leading cause of belly fat tomorrow. You know the real answer to weight loss is eating whole foods in moderation, but you are hoping against hope for a simpler fix, a miracle cure that takes temptation out of your hands.
Eventually, a family member or colleague has bariatric surgery. They lose 70 pounds in just a few months, and not only aren’t they hungry — they struggle just to be able to eat. Could this finally be the solution you’re looking for? Read on to learn what this increasingly popular medical weight loss procedure can accomplish and whether bariatric surgery is right for you.
The Problem
According to the latest figures, over two thirds of adult Americans are overweight, and 34.9 percent of are obese.1 The rate of extreme obesity, when an individual has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more, is 6.4 percent. Obesity disproportionately affects women, racial minorities, and the poor of this country. It is also a regional condition, occurring far more often in the South and Midwest than in the Northeast and West.2
Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Obese people have an increased chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and depression; in fact, it’s estimated that being obese shaves 10 years off the average life span. Moreover, the cost to our health care system is enormous. Roughly 10 percent of all annual medical spending — between $147 and $210 billion — goes to treat obesity-related diseases and conditions.3
The Bariatric Solution
Bariatric surgery, an procedure in which the size of the stomach is restricted either by banding or stapling, has emerged to fill the need created by America’s obesity epidemic. It is currently the most effective treatment for individuals with a BMI of 35 or more. Over the years, the rate of bariatric surgery has increased exponentially, with doctors now performing nearly 200,000 procedures a year.4
The procedure is successful in roughly 80 of cases, leading to significant long-term weight loss and the reversal of diseases associated with obesity, especially type 2 diabetes. In cases where morbid obesity presents a life-threatening health risk, it is the only viable option.
Bariatric surgery works in two ways, either by restricting the amount of food a person can hold in their stomach at a time or through a combination of restriction and malabsorption.
- Gastric bypass surgery, the most commonly performed procedure, is when the surgeon separates the stomach into two segments and connects the upper section directly to the lower part of the small intestine, giving digested food less opportunity to be absorbed into the body. This procedure enables people to loss weight very quickly.
- Adjustable gastric banding is a simpler, less dramatic surgery in which the doctor inserts a saline filled band around the stomach, separating it into two sections that are connected by a narrow passage. The band can be adjusted later either by removing saline or injecting more. This procedure limits the amount you can eat but does not hinder absorption.
Risks of Bariatric Surgery
Although laparoscopy has reduced the invasiveness of bypass procedures, it is still major surgery, and patients can suffer from bleeding, leakage, and blood clots. Bypassing part of the digestive process places you at an increased risk of malnutrition and related conditions, such as osteoporosis.
There are also unpleasant side effects, such as vomiting after eating too much and “dumping syndrome,” when food enters the small intestine too quickly and causes nausea, bloating, diarrhea, and sweating.5 Recent studies also show that bacterial overgrowth is a problem, exacerbating malabsorption and decreasing weight loss.6
Bariatric surgery is not for everyone. The ideal candidate has a BMI of 35 or more — that is, they are at least 100 pounds above their ideal weight. Where there are obesity related diseases that pose a health risk, surgery may be done when a patient’s BMI is as low as 30.
Nor is it a miracle cure. Bypass surgery removes an element of choice — if you overeat, you can get violently ill and even damage the procedure — but it requires that you make the same kind drastic lifestyle changes you would if you went on a weight loss diet.
Can You Lose Weight Without It?
Doctors recommend the procedure for extremely obese patients; in particular, those who have not been able to lose at least five percent of their body weight. (Through dieting and exercise programs.) Of course, sticking with a weight loss program is tough. But before looking to bypass surgery for a quick fix, take one final moment; this is the time to consider giving traditional weight loss methods one last try before proceeding.
This is most true if you have never sought professional help working through the underlying reasons why you overeat. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a successful weight loss alternative to surgery for many individuals. It focuses on the whole picture — healthy eating, exercise, and mental awareness; teaching people to develop “healthy obsessions” to replace binge eating and exercise avoidance.
Even if you are not ultimately successful in losing weight on a conventional diet and weight loss program, studies show that cognitive behavioral therapy improves the psychological well-being of people after bariatric surgery and is often part of a comprehensive program individuals undertake once the procedure is done.7
Ready to Learn More?
The following New Jersey healthcare centers each have facilities that specialize in performing bariatric surgery; as well as providing post-operative care to patients.
Virtua
Virtua Memorial Hospital, located in Mt. Holly, was named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the America Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Its surgeons perform all the latest bariatric procedures and provide comprehensive post-operative care for patients; this includes nutritional, psychological, and fitness counseling.
Barnabas Health
With three New Jersey locations to choose from, the New Jersey Bariatric & Metabolic Institute assembles a team of experts to address concerns and find the best surgical solution for each individual patient.
Atlantic Health Center
Bariatric surgery and post-operative care through the Atlantic Health Weight & Wellness Center is a collaborative effort of the Morristown Medical Center, Overlook Medical Center, and Newtown Medical Center. Accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, the program specializes in their comprehensive approach.
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