Bariatric surgery is a powerful tool that helps in treating obesity and obesity-related diseases. Moiz Dawood, MD, bariatric surgeon at MercyOne Cedar Falls Weight Loss Center & Bariatric Surgery explains what bariatric surgery is and why it’s just one piece of your health journey.
Factors leading to obesity
Obesity is complex disease. Defined as excessive fat accumulation, obesity can put you at risk of other health concerns. Many factors can lead to obesity, including causes outside of your control.
Factors leading to obesity outside of or very difficult to control:
Factors leading to obesity that you can control:
Bariatric surgery is one way to help treat obesity and obesity-related conditions. It is not, however, a quick fix to lose weight fast.
“Surgery is still a tool, and it does not last forever,” says Dr. Dawood. “Benefits will wear off and it will be on you, who you are and how you’ve changed, to maintain the benefits you’ve gained after the surgery.”
Because bariatric surgery is about gaining health, you work with a multidisciplinary team to help create personalized lifestyle changes. Your care team can include:
Do you qualify for bariatric surgery?
The most common primary bariatric procedure of choice in the U.S. is the sleeve gastrectomy. This is a procedure where 70-80% of the stomach is removed. While this surgery makes the stomach smaller, Dr. Dawood says that’s not the only way the procedure leads to weight loss.
So how does bariatric surgery work? The real surprise here is hormones!
“Hormones impact when and how much you eat,” says Dr. Dawood. “The gastric sleeve procedure pauses those hormones, allowing your body to better respond to the healthy food choices you’re making.”
Bariatric surgery is so much more than weight loss. Many obesity-related health conditions can be significantly improved including:
According to the CDC, being overweight is also linked with a higher risk of developing 13 types of cancer.
Bariatric surgery patient stories
Exercise is encouraged and supported, but diet is the key to losing weight and keeping it off after surgery.
“Our focus really is on the diet because that makes a much greater impact on weight overall than exercise,” says Jenna Niccolls, PA-C, at MercyOne Cedar Falls Weight Loss Center & Bariatric Surgery.
While not for everyone, a well-known diet that works for many is a low-carb diet. Variations of low-carb diets allow patients to lose weight as well as decrease medications for high blood pressure or diabetes. There are many names for low-carb diets such as ketogenic, Atkins and paleo, but the most important thing about these diets is mindful eating and know what a carb is, what a sugar is and how it impacts your health.
Within those first years after surgery, building a healthy lifestyle is what will help see continued benefits.
“At the end, when your hormones come back with a vengeance, hopefully a nutritious diet and regular exercise is a part of your routine,” says Dr. Dawood. “It doesn’t matter how small I make your stomach. You will never lose the weight if you forget how to eat.”
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