Understanding Bariatric Surgery
By Eddie Tobey, Thu Dec 8th

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

There are myriad complications associated with obesity,including endocrine abnormalities, hypertension, respiratory andpulmonary ailments, gallbladder disease, degenerative arthritis,cardiovascular disease, and certain types of cancer. Individualssuffering from obesity may also have psychological issuesstemming from a low body image and repeated diet failures. Formany obese individuals, diet failure is extremely common and theodds of significant weight loss are low.

Those who have tried and failed to lose weight using dietmodification and exercise may find success using surgicalmethods 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 ofbariatric weight loss surgeries for obesity: restrictionprocedures and malabsorption procedures.

Restriction procedures reduce the size of the stomach throughthe use of a gastric band, staples, or both, and do notinterfere with the normal digestion process. Malabsorptionprocedures, on the other hand, reduce the size of the stomachand bypass duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine,and sometimes the whole of the jejunum (the mid-section of theintestines).

About the author:Bariatric SurgeryInfo provides detailed information on bariatric surgery,including cost, patients, centers, diet, financing, andcomplications, as well as specific procedures like laparoscopicand bypass surgery. Bariatric Surgery Info is the sister site ofGastric BypassSurgery Web.