When it comes to weight loss, surgery is not a magic bullet. But for people who have obesity-related health issues and can't seem to control their weight any other way, it might be the only answer.
One such surgery is bariatric surgery — patients undergo this procedure in order to get rid of some of the stomach that's producing too much acid and too many hormones, which leads to feelings of fullness after eating as little as every few hours. The surgery helps people who are 100 to 200 pounds overweight achieve weight loss of about 50 per cent over two and half years. This type of surgery is effective in treating obesity and, unlike some types of treatments, long-term effects can be seen after just three or four years.
The goal of this surgery is not to restrict or ration one's food intake. Instead, patients are encouraged to eat as much as they can and still lose weight — just in smaller portions while eating less frequently and absorbing fewer calories. Bariatric surgery is done by removing a portion of the stomach. The amount removed can vary from patient to patient depending on their weight and other factors. But after the operation, patients feel full after eating only a small amount.
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight-loss surgery, is a type of operation that surgically alters the digestive system to reduce the person’s appetite and make it harder for them to absorb calories.
Bariatric surgery is performed on people with a body mass index of over 40 or those who are severely obese and have health problems related to their weight. It can help people who are severely obese lose enough weight to control: high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea or other obesity-related diseases. Bariatric surgery, also known as weight-loss surgery, is a type of operation that surgically alters the digestive system to reduce the person’s appetite and make it harder for them to absorb calories.
Bariatric surgery is performed on people with a body mass index of over 40 or those who are severely obese and have health problems related to their weight. It can help people who are severely obese lose enough weight to control: high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea or other obesity-related diseases.
The riskiest bariatric operations include stomach stapling (the most common procedure) and gastric bypass surgery (in which the stomach is reduced in size so that food flows more quickly through it). The risk of serious health problems from bariatric surgery is low at around one in 1,000. The most common complications are bleeding, infection and leaks from the site of the operation.
The first bariatric operation was performed in 1963 by American surgeon Charles Guthrie. The first modern procedure is credited to American surgeon Luis Mendez-Navarro in 1972 who performed a gastric restrictive procedure.Â
Most surgeries are done on people who have a body mass index of over 40 or those who are severely obese and have health problems related to their weight. It can help people who are severely obese lose enough weight to control: high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea or other obesity-related diseases.
