The basic cause of overweight and obesity is actually an energy imbalance that takes place between calories that are consumed and the calories that are expended. In the case of obese people, you would mostly find that they consumed more of energy-dense foods. These types of foods are supposed to be high in salt, fat, and sugars, however, they are low in minerals, vitamins, and other kinds of micronutrients. Obesity is marked by a drastic drop in physical activity because of a rise in a sedentary way of many different forms of work, increasing urbanization, and even changing transportation modes. The only long-term solution for getting rid of obesity is the surgery for weight loss.

What are the medical issues associated with obesity?

Obesity is the reason behind dozens of life-threatening issues including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, coronary artery disease, pulmonary hypertension, gallstones, obstructive sleep apnea, asthma, cardiomyopathy, hypoventilation syndrome, fatty liver, arthritis, infertility, low back pain, GERD (Gastro esophageal reflux disease), irregular menstrual bleeding/cycles, immobility, depression, pulmonary embolism, colon cancer, breast cancer, esophageal cancer,  venous stasis disease, varicose veins, endometrial cancer, intertrigo (severe skin infection) etc. Moreover, obese people are more prone to accidents. Statistics also reveal that the complication rates post routine surgeries like hysterectomy and gall bladder surgery are quite high in obese people.

Why do exercises, diets, and medications fail to work?

Regular exercises and proper diet would be effective, provided this regimen is started early in life and followed religiously all through life. But for individuals who are already into obesity, it is quite difficult to get rid of the issue. It is quite difficult to do the workouts as obese people have limited capability to make the necessary movements involved in performing various exercises. They are pretty much disheartened because of the slow results and the difficulty involved in performing the exercises.

Moreover, there seems to be no medication available in the market that has been proven to be effective, safe, or a long-term solution to the obesity issue. Most medications that claim to cure obesity belong to two broad categories including stimulants and medicines that are known for inhibiting fat absorption. Stimulants could end up suppressing appetite for some time but the effect is temporary and there are many side-effects. When diets and medications fail, you must explore opportunities for going into surgery for weight loss.

Why is the surgery for weight loss regarded as the only long-term obesity solution?

The surgery for obesity or the gastric bypass surgery till now has been seen in clinical and scientific trials to come up with effective, safe and definitely, long-term results. This surgery has been effective in bringing about drastic weight loss and a noticeable decline in medical co-morbidities.

Should I go in for the weight loss surgery?

The surgery for weight loss is certainly not meant for everybody. It is recommended for individuals who:

• Are known to have BMI 40 or more. For men approximately 100 pounds overweight and for women about 80 pounds or so.
• Are known to possess lower body mass index but they must be having serious health issues associated with obesity like type2 diabetes, heart disease, severe sleep apnea, and high cholesterol.
• Have attempted but did not succeed in losing weight through diet or exercise.
• Are truly motivated as they clearly understand the implications and risks related to weight loss surgery but are willing to go ahead hoping for positive results.

Obesity could be pretty scary in terms of its implications on health and overall fitness.

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