Patient Education ...

Obesity
Obesity is an excess of fat-containing cells in a body. It is different than weight because muscles, bones, water, and other tissues take up space -- and contribute to weight. For example, a seriously obese 5-foot woman and a professional football player may have the same weight, but greatly different body makeup and health strains. So measuring obesity requires more than just a person's weight. We estimate a person's level of obesity by calculating their Body mass index (BMI). A BMI of 40 or greater is considered medically serious obesity -- and associated with health risks, associated diseases, and reduced lifespan (early death).

Obesity As A Disease
Accepting serious obesity as an illness -- rather than a personal weakness or failing -- is the first step in understanding this disease. Serious obesity has been present throughout time, in all parts of the world, and continues to exist. For most people with serious obesity, they have tried multiple diets -- and can often lose weight. But keeping weight off is a life-long battle for most people. They may have lost and gained hundreds of pounds in their lifetime, and it is only until serious health problems occur that some people begin to understand that their illness is beyond their ability to control.

Natural Course of Serious Obesity
Many obese people have spent a “lifetime” struggling to control weight with dietary means. Most obese people have succeeded in losing weight only to regain the weight that was lost, plus more, when they stop dieting. Numerous drug therapies and weight loss aids advertise weight loss "success," but they do not often achieve long-term weight maintenance for those with morbid obesity. When non-surgical methods of weight loss have been exhausted and do not solve the problem of obesity, surgery may be indicated as a tool to help treat obesity.

Surgery as a Tool to Help Manage the Disease
Weight loss surgery is not the right choice for everyone, and we ask people to keep their minds open about the nonsurgical possibilities for regaining their health. Sometimes learning information about eating patterns, calorie requirements, appropriate food choices, and exercise are enough to manage this disease to a level that is right for you. If these measures are not helping your health, then consideration of surgery may be appropriate.

Surgery is not a magic procedure and does not "lose weight for you." You will not be able to "eat all you want and still lose weight." These operations require a tremendous amount of devotion to true life-long habit changes in order to achieve lasting results. These operations allow you to receive feedback from your body -- by reduced hunger, satisfaction with smaller meals, and sometimes negative physical effects from eating things that aren't right for you. But you will still need to make permanent dietary and lifestyle changes in order to provide you with durable improvement in your health.

Surgical Options
Surgery for obesity is a major operation. It can provide significant help for those with the most serious obesity, but also carries risk. See our section on Surgical Operations for more details.

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