Almost one-third of adult Americans struggle with weight problems that go far beyond body image and positivity. Many people that have high body mass index (BMI) are standing face to face with weight-related diseases such as diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, and heart attack. So far, research shows that the most effective way of expanding your life expectancy is a reduction of unhealthy weight and a change of lifestyle that includes more exercise and healthier eating habits. For many who have been struggling with weight for a long time, bariatric surgery posed the first step of the journey.
Introduction
Obesity is a national problem that is not easily corrected through diet and exercise alone. In this introductory seminar, we will examine the issues associated with obesity and discuss the most successful treatment options currently available.
National Epidemic
Obesity is becoming a huge epidemic in the United States these days. It is usually having a BMI greater than forty, and meaning that a normal person would be over a hundred pounds overweight.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Body mass index or BMI is a measure of body fat that is used for calculating health risks related to your weight.
Morbid obesity is considered that, when you have a body mass index of forty or greater you are considered to be, considered morbidly obese. That is almost a hundred pounds over what a normal person should weight.
Current Statistics and Science Behind Weight Gain
Approximately two-thirds of American adults are either overweight or obese. As we age, our metabolism slows and if we continue to eat the same amount of food and maintain the same activity level, we gradually become overweight.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle and you actually consume more and don’t exercise, obviously, you will put on more weight. So what does that mean? In addition, that means if the calories are higher than what you’re burning, you’re basically going to be putting more weight on.
Lynn Debeco’s Story
All of a sudden, when I turned forty, I just gained, probably, twenty pounds a year. It just felt like it just kept coming on, and I couldn’t get it off. And I tried diets, I tried exercise, I joined gyms and I would lose and it would come right back. I was just getting more and more uncomfortable in my own skin.
Comorbidity
Almost one-third of Americans are considered severely overweight or obese. Obesity is associated with many diseases that can shorten our lifespan.
Being morbidly obese can lead to comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, which also can lead to myocardial infarction or heart attacks, or MIs, as people would say. In addition to that, it can also lead to type two diabetes.
Keith Sims Story
I was at the NFL hall of fame, my quarterback Dan Marino got inducted to the Hall of Fame, and I went there to Canton, in front of the stage, had a great time, and when I got back and I saw the pictures of myself, I was horrified. I couldn’t believe that was me in that picture. At that point, my blood pressure, I was on medication, high cholesterol, I’m on medication for that as well, but I wasn’t diabetic, but I did take two pills every single day to try to control it.
Commit to Making Permanent Changes
Weight loss surgery can be a miracle for some people. You will lose weight, you will regain your lifestyle, you will reduce your comorbidities from hypertension to diabetes. The only way to be successful with weight loss is through surgery.
Weight loss surgery has proven to be the most effective tool for helping you make the lifelong changes necessary to lose weight and keep it off long-term. To be successful with weight loss, you must commit to making permanent changes to what you eat and how active you are. Bariatric surgery helps you make these changes. But surgery alone will not make you successful.
In the following modules, we will look at the types of weight loss surgery available, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Next: Weight Loss Options Using Bariatric Surgery
