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Obesity
What is Morbid Obesity?
"Morbid" is an ugly word when it is applied to a problem
you have. But in medical terms, morbid means that it is bad for your
health, causing injury or shortening life expectancy. Morbid obesity
is not a choice or lifestyle, but is a chronic disease which causes
other life threatening diseases which are called co-morbidities. There
is evidence that there is a genetic predisposition to morbid obesity,
and there is very little a patient can do about it, anymore than a
non-obese diabetic can decide not to be a diabetic, no matter how
determined. Am I morbidly obese?
Criteria for morbid obesity:
100 pounds over ideal body weight Ideal body weight has been determined
by insurance company actuarial Data based on the weight at which you
are likely to live the longest Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than
40 is by definition morbid obesity. Lesser BMI may be morbid if associated
by serious co-morbidities. Check
your BMI here!
There has never been a scientific study that shows that diet and
exercise programs achieve sustained weight loss in the morbidly
obese. On the contrary, the National Institute of Health showed
a 95-98% failure rate for non-surgical weight reduction in the morbidly
obese. Yes, many morbidly obese patients have lost large amounts
of weight for short periods on various programs or medications,
but typically, they regain all the weight they lost, plus gain more
weight than they had lost.
What can I do to lose my excess weight?
You could try another diet, another medication or the latest fad.
Again, there is no scientific evidence that any of these solutions
work for the severely obese.
You could consider a surgical weight loss program to help you regain
control of your body. The goal of modern surgical weight reduction
surgery is to reduce the size of the stomach so that you are satisfied
with smaller amounts of food. Roux en Y gastric bypass also makes
it uncomfortable to eat carbohydrates, a major source of calories
for the morbidly obese in the United States.
It is important for the patient to realize that surgery is not a
cure for the chronic disease of morbid obesity, but is a very effective
"tool" to fight the disease. Having the surgery does not
excuse the patient from personal responsibility for their health.
If you snack, do not exercise, do not take recommended vitamins
and participate in ongoing post-surgical support programs, you can
regain weight. Our program is designed to help you maximize success.
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Obesity Surgery Center
1250 Jesse Jewell Parkway
Suite 300
Gainesville, Georgia 30501
Toll Free: 877-921-0110
Fax: 770-534-2555 |
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