Surgery for weight loss 101

By now, everyone knows that we have an epidemic of obesity in north America. Obese people are no longer in the minority; they are everywhere and very visible. Obesity is no longer a hidden disorder seen only in rural America. It is everywhere. One can walk down any street in America and there are fat people everywhere. Americans should take heart- obesity is now a global problem. This truly has been one of the most successful exports of North American society. Except for a few countries in Africa, almost every nation is beset with the problem of obesity.

Data from the communicable disease center indicates that about 50 percent of adults and more than 20 percent of children and teenagers are overweight. The real numbers indicate that at least 10% of these adults are morbidly obese. Morbid obesity is currently defined as having at least 100 pounds or more over the recommended body weight.

One should not trivialize obesity, it is not harmless. While it may appear to be physically distressing, obesity is associated with a number of serious medical problems. The majority of obese individuals go on to develop high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, depression, and urinary incontinence.
Obesity today is on par with smoking as public enemy number one. The condition is preventable in the early stages but once started, it is extremely difficult to control. Despite years of intense research, no one can really explain the onset of obesity. Not only are the complications of obesity hard to manage, but we have run out of options on how to prevent/treat it.

Countless therapies have evolved over the past 30 years. There are herbs, potions, lotions, potions, drugs, surgery and even alternative care therapies- they all have one thing in common- high failure rates when it comes to control of obesity.