What To Know About Bariatrics

For obese people struggling with medical issues, such as diabetes or heart disease, surgical weight loss can transform a person's life and health for the better.

More than 40% of the American population was considered obese as of 2018—and those numbers continue to rise. If you have a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 to less than 30, you are considered overweight. However, those ‌with a BMI of 30.0 or higher are considered obese.

Obesity and high body fat percentages are associated with health risks such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, osteoarthritis, breathing problems, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), depression, infertility and even a lower life expectancy.

Unfortunately, committing to diet and exercise to shed unwanted pounds may not always be enough for you to achieve your weight-loss goals. Research shows that bariatric surgery is often the most effective medical treatment for obesity because it can provide patients with a substantial, long-term weight-loss solution. After surgery, patients can lose more than 50 percent of their excess weight and maintain the weight loss by frequently eating small portions of healthful foods and improving their metabolism through exercise. Many patients also experience an improved outlook on life and improvements or reversal of conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea.

Depending on the patient's weight and physical health, several bariatric surgeries are available.

Minimally invasive bariatric surgery involves a simple procedure of adjusting the size of a patient's stomach. In contrast, revisional surgery is more complex and requires rerouting the digestive tract. Bariatric surgery options include:

Laparoscopic adjustable band — Surgeons use laparoscopy to insert a band around the patient's stomach, creating a smaller stomach pouch. This minimally invasive procedure causes the patient to feel fuller faster. Food is also digested slower as it moves between the upper and lower stomach. The patient eats less and loses weight.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy — This procedure requires a single incision through the navel, where up to 80 percent of the stomach is removed, creating a new smaller stomach in the shape of a sleeve.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass — The stomach is divided into an upper section (a pouch) and lower section in this two-step surgery. The second step requires the surgeon to connect a part of the small intestine to a small hole in the pouch, allowing food to travel from it into the new opening of the small intestine. Because of this re-routing process, the body absorbs fewer calories.

Because weight-loss surgery alters the size of the stomach or digestive tract, absorbing the proper amount of healthy nutrients may be difficult. It is essential to enlist the help of a nutritionist who can help chart a course for healthy post-operative eating to ensure the body receives the proper nutrition it needs daily.

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