About Obesity

Fort Wayne, Indiana weight loss surgeon Dr. Dale Sloan and his staff see this as a grave problem. Their goal is to help victims of morbid obesity achieve long-term wellness through permanent weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. Failing to address this serious problem has profound negative implications both for obese individuals and for society at large.

Morbid obesity is a serious health problem with profound negative consequences. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher are defined as morbidly obese. Patients with a BMI over 35 are susceptible to obesity-related medical problems.

Morbidly obese individuals are at increased risk of suffering from a wide variety of serious health problems, particularly heart disease, and are statistically likely to die at an earlier age. Thirty-one percent of all American adults are considered obese. About 300,000 Americans die prematurely each year from causes linked to obesity. Only smoking is more deadly.

Morbidly obese individuals are usually able to lose weight with diet and exercise but are unable to keep it off. Because of this, Dr. Sloan often recommends Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, the LAP-BAND® or REALIZE® Adjustable Gastric Banding Systems or gastric sleeve surgery. Bariatric surgery is not to be taken lightly, and it is certainly not for everyone, but for many patients it provides an effective way to realize successful permanent weight loss.

The Health Impact of Morbid Obesity

Morbid obesity is considered to be a serious risk factor contributing to the metabolic syndrome – a set of conditions that heavily predispose individuals for cardiovascular disease (also known as heart disease). Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are among the most significant of these conditions.

Obesity is linked to a host of other complications, such as heart failure, arrhythmia, pulmonary embolism, assorted reproductive complications, urinary incontinence, various cancers, stroke, osteoarthritis, asthma, and sleep apnea. Obesity is also linked to depression, poor body image, and other serious psychological problems.

Causes of Obesity

Obesity essentially is the result of an individual consuming more calories than he or she expends throughout the day. A contributing factor is lack of exercise. As Americans live a more sedentary lifestyle, more individuals become obese because they are less active. The problem of morbid obesity is much more complex than this, however. Genetic predisposition, eating disorders, illnesses, medications, stress, and countless other factors contribute to becoming obese.

One of the biggest barriers to weight loss for obese individuals is their tendency to regain weight. Many morbidly obese people can dramatically improve their health by losing as little as 10 percent of their body mass, and many do so through dietary changes and exercise. However, the vast majority of these individuals find that they are unable to keep the weight off – as many as 90 percent of individuals struggling with morbid obesity who lose significant weight through dieting regain the weight within a few years.

Treatment for Morbid Obesity

For obese individuals who have made a commitment to losing weight, diet and exercise alone may be insufficient to maintaining a healthier size. For these people, bariatric surgery is generally a good option. A Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass, LAP-BAND® or REALIZE® System adjustable gastric band procedure or gastric sleeve surgery can help patients greatly reduce their food intake, which allows them to finally overcome obesity permanently. People suffering from morbid obesity in the Fort Wayne, Indiana vicinity benefit from the latest surgical obesity treatments provided in cutting-edge surgical facilities by Key Bariatric Specialists and Dr. Dale Sloan.