| For
anyone who has considered a weight-loss program, there is certainly no
shortage of choices. In fact, to qualify for insurance coverage of
weight-loss surgery, many insurers require patients to have a history of
medically supervised weight-loss efforts.
Most
non-surgical weight-loss programs are based on some combination of diet/behavior
modification and regular exercise. Unfortunately, even the most effective
interventions have proven to be effective for only a small percentage of
individuals. It is estimated that less than 5% of individuals who participate
in non-surgical weight-loss programs will lose a significant amount of
weight and maintain that loss for a long period of time.
In
1992, an NIH study revealed that any medically supervised program or combination
of therapies failed 96 to 98 percent of the time over a five-year period.
Sustained weight loss for patients who are morbidly obese is even harder
to achieve. Serious health risks have been identified for people
who move from diet to diet, subjecting their bodies to a severe and continuing
cycle of weight loss and gain know as "yo-yo dieting".
In
general, weight-loss surgery success is defined as achieving loss of 50%
or more of excess body weight and maintaining that level for at least five
years. The actual weight you will lose after bariatric surgery is dependant
on several factors. These include:
-
Your age
-
Weight
before surgery
-
Overall
condition of your health
-
Surgical
procedure
-
Ability
to exercise
-
Commitment
to maintaining dietary guidelines and other follow-up care
-
Motivation
and cooperation of your family, friends, and associates
Patients
with higher initial BMIs tend to lose more total weight. Patients with
lower initial BMIs will lose a greater percentage of their excess weight
and will more likely come closer to their ideal body weight. Patients with
Type II Diabetes tend to show less overall excess weight loss than patients
without Type II Diabetes.
In patients undergroing bariatric surgery, clinical research shows significatn improvement in severe medical conditions associated with obesity, cinluding diabetese, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, joint and back problems, and cholesterol levels. A 2000 study of 500 patients showed that 96% of certain associated health conditions studied (back pain, sleep
apnea, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression) were improved
or resolved.
Research also the positive results from bariatric surgery remain effective well past 10-14- years.
|
