Bariatric Surgery: What You Need to Know :

Obesity is a deadly disease, and it seems more and more people are turning to bariatric surgeries for a solution to this ever-growing problem. The Keystone Center, an education and public-policy group, found that presently 64 percent of the adult population falls within the overweight to morbid obesity categories.

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According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), “Morbid obesity is a disease of excess energy stores in the form of fat. Morbid obesity correlates with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or with being 100 pounds overweight. Being overweight is associated with real physical problems, which are now well recognized."

For anyone who is overweight, a surgery that pretty much guarantees weight loss is appealing. However, there are strict qualifications and even more serious mental and physical ramifications to consider before undergoing this operation. According to Dr. Michael Steelman, chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP), “The ideal candidate for surgery is a person who is morbidly obese and has been repeatedly unsuccessful at losing weight in well-structured weight-loss programs. The general criterion has been that patients be 100 pounds or 100-percent above their ideal weight. Certainly, one with a BMI of 40 or more would qualify.

"The ideal candidate should be in good enough health to undergo major surgery, have a stable lifestyle and no major psychological problems. They should also have an adequate social support system of family and friends.”

In certain circumstances, less severely obese patients (with BMI’s between 35 and 40) also may be considered for this surgery. However, Dr. Steelman says, “Too many people may look to surgery as an easy way out...rather than accepting responsibility for their long term program. Surgery is considered magic by many.”

Obesity can severely impair the quality of life of people who suffer from it. Potential candidates must fully understand how their lives may change post-operation. This isn’t an extreme diet, you will HAVE to eat less food.

It is important to remember that surgical treatment is not a cosmetic procedure. Bariatric surgery is not plastic surgery and there is no removal of fat tissue. There are three categories of weight-loss surgeries. First, there is a restrictive procedure (also known as banding), which makes the stomach smaller to limit the amount of food intake. Second, there is a malabsorptive technique that reduces the amount of intestine that comes in contact with food, which allows the body to absorb fewer calories. Lastly, there is a combination operation (gastric bypass), which employs both restriction and malabsorption techniques.

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