Ask your health care provider about your ideal weight. Many body mass index calculators and ideal weight charts on the Internet can help you determine if you’re healthy, slightly overweight or
obese. Someone is considered morbidly obese when he has a BMI of 40 or more, or is 100 pounds over his ideal weight.
The most obvious result of obesity is an increased risk of death directly related to weight increase. Morbid obesity is the second leading preventable disease in the United States, right after lung cancer.
We all have friends, family and co-workers who are morbidly obese. For them, weight loss surgery could be more than a life-changing decision - it could be a life-saving one.
Why not just diet?
Diets have a high rate of failure. Ninety-five percent of people who diet fail, and less than 10 percent who succeed maintain long-term weight loss through diet alone.
Obesity surgery, also called bariatric surgery, is a tool used to achieve long-term weight loss with a reduction or resolution of the conditions associated with morbid obesity.
The two gold standards of bariatric surgery include the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the adjustable gastric band. Both of these procedures are laparoscopic, meaning the surgeons place one or more small incisions in the abdomen, and insert a hollow tube. This allows the surgeons to insert very small instruments to perform the operation. The entire procedure is visualized on a screen.
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a procedure that involves restricting both the amount of food a person can eat and nutrient absorption through bypassing the major portion of the stomach and a length of the small bowel or intestine.
The adjustable gastric band involves only restricting the amount of food eaten by placing a band around the stomach, creating a new, smaller stomach pouch. The band can be adjusted for optimal results.
Who is a candidate for bariatric surgery?
First, you must have a BMI of 40 or greater and have failed at other forms of weight loss. People with a BMI between 35 and 40 may be considered for surgery with the indication of high-risk conditions such as those listed above.
Second, you must be willing to make lifestyle and behavioral changes, such as an adjusted diet and exercise. The successful candidate will be well informed and motivated with a willingness to participate in treatment and long-term follow-up.
Bariatric surgery is a lifestyle change and a new beginning. You can make positive changes for a healthier life and a better tomorrow.
Carol Enderle is the nurse practitioner and clinical manager for the bariatric program at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center.
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