Understanding Bariatric Surgery

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Author: Eddie Tobey

Article source: http://www.articlealley.com/. Used with author's permission.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the U.S. over the last 20 years. In fact, statistics show that 30 percent of adults 20 years of age and older are obese (body mass index [BMI] of 30 or higher). That translates to more than 60 million people. Although reducing the prevalence of obesity among adults is a national health objective, the health of the nation seems to be getting worse instead of better.

There are myriad complications associated with obesity, including endocrine abnormalities, hypertension, respiratory and pulmonary ailments, gallbladder disease, degenerative arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. Individuals suffering from obesity may also have psychological issues stemming from a low body image and repeated diet failures. For many obese individuals, diet failure is extremely common and the odds of significant weight loss are low.

Those who have tried and failed to lose weight using diet modification and exercise may find success using surgical methods such as Bariatric weight loss surgery. The word "Bariatric" comes from the Greek words "baros," meaning weight, and "iatrike," meaning treatment. There are two basic types of bariatric weight loss surgeries for obesity: restriction procedures and malabsorption procedures.

Restriction procedures reduce the size of the stomach through the use of a gastric band, staples, or both, and do not interfere with the normal digestion process. Malabsorption procedures, on the other hand, reduce the size of the stomach and bypass duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine, and sometimes the whole of the jejunum (the mid-section of the intestines).