About Obesity

Obesity is a serious disease with symptoms that build slowly over an extended period of time. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines morbid obesity as:

• Being 100 pounds or more above your ideal body weight
• Or, having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or greater
• Or, having a BMI of 35 or greater and one or more co-morbid conditions

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes, a long-term metabolic disorder where the body resists insulin, which is necessary for the body to utilize sugar. Diabetes can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, amputation of the feet or legs, and nerve damage.

• 83.8% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced complete resolution of type 2 diabetes
• 47.8% of patients who had gastric banding surgery experienced complete resolution of type 2 diabetes.
• Patients who had bariatric surgery had lower insulin resistance, and their risk for metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and high amount of fats in the blood also decreased.

Heart Disease

Excess body weight is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, elevated cholesterol, and high blood pressure. These conditions can lead to heart attacks, strokes, heart and kidney damage. Bariatric surgery reduces excess body weight over time, which decreases strain on the heart.

• 75.4% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced complete resolution of high blood pressure.
• 38.4% of patients who had gastric banding surgery experienced complete resolution of high blood pressure.
• Changes in diet and exercise after surgery can lead to significant improvement of cardiovascular problems.

High Cholesterol

High cholesterol is a disorder of lipids (the fat-like substances in the blood) and can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. As these lipids build up inside the artery walls, harmful scar tissue and other debris begin thickening and hardening the walls. Long-term, this can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure.

• 95% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced improved cholesterol health.
• 78.3% of patients who had gastric banding surgery experienced improved cholesterol health.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is when breathing suddenly stops because soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. Morbid obesity can cause sleep apnea and other respiratory problems that may result in chronic fatigue.

• 86.6% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced complete resolution of sleep apnea.
• 94.6% of patients who had gastric banding surgery experienced complete resolution of sleep apnea.

Acid Reflux

Acid reflux / GERD, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, is injury to the esophagus caused by chronic exposure to stomach acid. It is a serious disease that can cause esophagitis, Barretts esophagus, and esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma).

• 98% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced complete resolution of acid reflux/GERD.
• 32.3% of patients who had gastric banding surgery experienced complete resolutionof acid reflux/GERD.

Cancer

Morbid obesity may put you at a higher risk for several types of cancer, such as colon, breast, and kidney cancer. The National Cancer Institute found people living with morbid obesity are more likely to develop certain cancers than healthy weight people. In addition, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found people living with morbid obesity had significantly higher death rates from cancer than healthy weight people.

Learn more about cancer >>

Depression

There are many reasons people with morbid obesity experience depression. Emotional health goes hand in hand with physical health. Lifestyle improvements and renewed health can help resolve depression. Weight loss, combined with counseling, can be very helpful in improving mental health.

• 47% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced improvement of depression symptoms.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis and joint pain can lead to loss of mobility. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis. Known as wear-and-tear arthritis, osteoarthritis is a chronic condition in which there is a breakdown of joint cartilage. For anyone who is living with morbid obesity, the excess body weight placed on joints, particularly knees and hips, results in rapid wear and tear, and pain caused by inflammation. Bariatric surgery can reduce much of this weight over a long period of time and can be very effective in treating osteoarthritis. 41% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced complete resolution of osteoarthritis.

Learn more about osteoarthritis >>

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Among women, morbid obesity is a risk factor for stress urinary incontinence, or uncontrollable urine loss. A large, heavy abdomen and relaxation of the pelvic muscles due to morbid obesity may cause the valve on the urinary bladder to weaken, leading to leakage of urine with coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Bariatric surgery has been found to improve stress urinary incontinence. Less weight is placed on the bladder, and other physical changes take place to improve this condition.

• 44% of patients who had gastric bypass surgery experienced complete resolutionof stress urinary incontinence.