For those individuals who are morbidly obese and their bodies have become unresponsive to diet and exercise, weight loss surgery may be their only chance for a normal life. In fact, weight loss surgery could be their first opportunity to live a normal life.
Americans are becoming heavier and heavier every year. The latest statistics show that a full thirty percent are obese and another thirty-four percent are overweight. That means that only thirty-six percent of Americans are either at or below a healthy weight.
People who are overweight are at increased risk of a multitude of physical ailments like high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, type two diabetes, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, coronary heart disease, angina, congestive heart failure, stroke, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, some types of cancer, complications of pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation, bladder control problems, depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self-esteem. With a laundry list like that, we can’t afford to not lose weight!
The economic impact of these health problems stemming from overweight and obesity is taking it’s toll on the United States’ health care system. The costs of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services, the value of income lost from decreased productivity, restricted activity, absenteeism, and bed days and the costs of future income lost by premature death are all costs that affect Medicaid, Medicare and our public health programs. In fact, most insurance companies have found that they save money by approving weight loss surgery, which allows their clients to eliminate their weight related problems altogether. Although the surgery is expensive, it is less expensive in the long run than paying for the medications and services that overweight clients consistently need year after year.
Although everyone is familiar with stomach stapling, there are actually a few different types of weight loss (bariatric) surgery available to those who need it. To find the most appropriate procedure for you, you should inform yourself on each procedure and discuss with a bariatric surgeon the one that would be best for you and your situation. Some of the more common types of bariatric surgery that are widely available are the Duodenal Switch, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, Lap Band, Fobi Pouch and Roux-n-Y.