One of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide is obesity. This condition is not a petty problem of overeating; it is regarded as a chronic illness with complex and multiple health causes and consequences. Morbid obesity is commonly associated with progressive, severe and alarming diseases. It is a great contributor to high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and a many other serious ailments.

As the risks and diseases associated with morbid obesity are becoming rampant, people are looking for ways to slim down and improve their health. Although proper diet, exercise and diet pills are always regarded as the first line treatment, these conventional approaches of losing weight may not be effective for some. The whole arsenal of slimming techniques may sound simple enough, but what about those who have done everything to lose weight but still continue to struggle not to get to the end stage of obesity?

Solution for Weight Loss

An alternative solution is surgery. Bariatric surgery is a weight loss method which is regarded as a major gastrointestinal procedure wherein it alters the food intake capacity of the digestive organ of a person. It is an option for the extremely obese people who are prone to acquire serious health risk related to their degree of obesity. It is important to remember that bariatric surgery is not a cosmetic procedure. It is a weight loss surgery intended for persons who are at least 100 pounds above the estimated ideal body weight. In some lower weight cases, it is pre-determined by the physician if there is a sufficient medical need for weight reduction and if surgery seems to be the only way to accomplish this.

Types of Bariatric Surgery

Today, there are several variations of this surgical technique. The type of operation to be used is pre-determined by taking into considerations several factors such as age, initial weight, and ability to exercise. Bariatric weight loss surgery has two categories. The restrictive and malabsorptive procedure. Gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy is classified as a restrictive procedure wherein the surgeon will create a walnut size pouch in the stomach that will control the food intake of the patient and will most likely result to small meals thus overeating is avoided.

If in any case that the safer restrictive operation cannot produce the desired weight outcome that the surgeon and patient is trying to achieve they may turn into the malabsorptive procedure. This malabsorption technique which includes extensive bypass of the small intestine is rare and prone to higher risk of complications and side effects because of the lengthening of the bypassed bowel. This procedure reduces the stomach capacity and bypasses the upper part of the small intestine, causing a reduction in the number of calories and nutrients which the body absorbs. Alternatively, combined procedures can be done through gastric bypass and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. This combination reaps the benefit of lessening the absorption of calories and reducing the size of the stomach.

Risks of Weight Loss Surgery

According to the American Society For Bariatric Surgery, bariatric surgery is not an easy option for obese sufferers. It is a drastic step, and carries the usual pain and risks of any major gastrointestinal surgical operation. Statistics show that about one out of 200 or 300 surgeries results in death. That’s why, it is very important to discuss with your surgeon the possible risk, complications and side effects of the operation offered to you.

A need to lessen your food intake is a must after the surgery. Usually, physicians advise patients to gradually increase their amount of food for three months after bariatric surgery from nothing to a liquid diet to small meals. However, eating so little food never comes without side effects especially to those who are used to eat a lot.

Not a Quick Fix For Losing Weight

It is also very important to remember that bariatric surgery is not a quick fix. It is considered as ongoing journey and a lifetime commitment toward weight loss through lifestyle change. There are a lot of benefits of losing weight, and it is very important to consider the improvement of the quality of life that patients may experience after surgery. This is not all about losing the excess weight but trying to achieve a healthier body by avoiding the medical problems related to obesity.

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