Bariatric Surgery
Morbid Obesity:
Morbid obesity is defined as being at least 100 pounds overweight, i.e. 100 pounds above a person’s ideal body weight for a person who is 5 feet 4 inches tall. Obesity is measured by a formula called Body Mass Index (BMI). A healthy BMI is about 18 to 25. A BMI of 30 or more signals obesity. A BMI of 40 or more reflects morbid obesity.
Obesity:
Overweight people no longer need to feel that they are in the minority. Today, more than 60% of Americans are overweight, and 30% of these are obese. A moderate weight gain poses no problem for many people. But those with severe obesity are at risk for serious health problems due to weight related complications. In fact, obesity is rapidly overtaking cigarette smoking as a leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Surgical Treatment for Obesity:
This is for those who are unable to reduce their weight through other means (diet plans and exercise). Bariatric surgery is also known as obesity surgery. It is offered in two forms by Chestnut Hill Surgical Associates at Chestnut Hill. These procedures are either laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap Band). Both methods are clinically proven to be effective for durable weight loss. The patients who have weight loss surgery generally lose two-thirds of their excess weight within two (2) years, and with proper follow-up, most of them maintain substantially lower weight permanently.
Please take a look at the following pages:
