Why Morbid Obesity Is Treated By Surgery

According to information provided by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, morbid obesity is treated by surgery because of the ineffectiveness of non-surgical treatments such as diet and medical intervention. The goal of surgery is the alleviation of this debilitating disease of obesity and the serious co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, depression, sleep apnea, etc. affiliated with it. Individual results will vary and you should discuss this with your doctor.

It is recommended that a patient should have a body mass index (BMI) of 40, or 35 with serious co-morbidity, before considering obesity surgery.

Successful surgery has been noted to improve co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, joint diseases, GERD, and general improvement of life (health, social, personal and work). However, individual results, weight loss, recovery time, and complications vary by individual.

Morbid obesity was originally defined as 100 pounds overweight but now it is described relative to Body Mass index (BMI) of 40 and above. This is a clinically severe obesity at which point serious medical complications occur as a direct result of the excess weight. The cause of obesity is unknown, it however involves the following factors:

• Overweight and obesity result from an imbalance involving excessive calorie consumption and/or inadequate physical activity or inadequate energy expenditure
• For each individual, body weight is the result of a combination of genetic, metabolic, behavioral, environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic influences
• Behavioral and environmental factors are large contributors to overweight and obesity and provide the greatest opportunity for actions and interventions designed for prevention and treatment

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