Weight Loss: Treatment Options
Treatment for obesity may focus on related health problems as much as on weight loss. Your physician can advise you on your various options for weight loss, which may include diet, exercise and lifestyle changes, as well as medication.
Numerous studies have shown that behavioral therapy to improve diet and physical activity can lead to weight loss of approximately 5 to 10 percent over 4 to 6 months.
When a person loses weight, obesity-related conditions such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes improve. But if a person regains weight, these benefits are lost. 1 In many cases, a person who regains weight ends up weighing more than he or she weighed before the intervention. 1
Doctors need effective weight-loss methods for people with extreme obesity and effective ways to maintain long-term weight loss. 1 Therefore, an increasingly common approach to weight loss is surgery. According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS), an estimated 220,000 people with morbid obesity in the U.S. will have bariatric surgery in 2008. This is up from more than 100,000 people in 2003 and from about 16,000 in the early 1990s.
In fact, bariatric surgery is the most effective way for people with extreme obesity to lose substantial weight and improve their weight-related health conditions, such as high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Studies show bariatric surgery resolves type 2 diabetes in 73% - 83% of patients; cuts the risk of developing coronary heart disease in half, is an effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea and resolves the condition in more than 85% of patients. 2
Most bariatric (or weight loss) surgery focuses on either reducing the size of the stomach or reducing calorie absorption. Both approaches share the same goal: To reduce the body's ability to absorb and store calories in the form of excess fat.
These procedures can have dramatic health benefits, such as improved control of blood sugar or even reversal of type 2 diabetes. However, any surgery, including bariatric surgery can carry serious risks for overweight patients, including death. 2
You may be a candidate for surgery if you are an adult with:
- A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more (about 100 pounds overweight for men and 80 pounds for women) or a BMI between 35 and 39.9 and a serious obesity-related health problem such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, or severe sleep apnea (when breathing stops for short periods during sleep).
- Acceptable operative risks.
- An ability to participate in treatment and long-term follow-up.
- An understanding of the operation and the lifestyle changes you will need to make. 2
Additional treatment options for obesity other than surgery may be available and may be more appropriate for your particular medical condition. Always consult with your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.
2. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery
Fact Sheet. http://www.asbs.org/Newsite07/media/fact-sheet1_bariatric-surgery.pdf
3. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS). http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/labs.htm#howmany
While clinical studies support the effectiveness of the da Vinci® System when used in minimally invasive surgery, individual results may vary. Surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.