What is morbid obesity?
Morbid obesity is a chronic disease and can interfere with even the most basic physical functions, such as breathing or walking. Someone is considered morbidly obese if he or she is 100 pounds over their ideal body weight and has a BMI (body mass index) of 40 or more.
Treating morbid obesity with bariatric surgery
While a healthy diet, stress management and regular exercise are the first steps towards treating morbid obesity, often times people need additional support to lose 100 pounds or more.
Bariatric surgery is often the right option to treat morbid obesity and achieve successful long-term weight loss. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS):
- 90 percent of people with morbid obesity successfully keep off 50 percent or more of their pre-bariatric surgery weight.
- Bariatric surgery patients (compared to those who don’t have the surgery) had over a 90 percent reduction in death associated with diabetes and over 50 percent reduction in death from heart disease.
At age 60, I am in outstanding health…Before bariatric surgery, I felt hopeless about losing weight, and knew that my weight had become unmanageable, but had failed at so many diets…
Now, I am proud to say that I have maintained almost 90% of my total weight loss 6 1/2 years after surgery. You are in great hands at Barix.
— Lynn M.
The benefits of treating morbid obesity with bariatric surgery
Individuals with morbid obesity may need more permanent options than simple diet and exercise techniques. Bariatric surgery takes patients off of the dieting roller coaster by changing the anatomy of the stomach and gastric system. These surgical changes to the body, in conjunction with exercise and healthy eating, create the greatest opportunity for long-term, sustainable weight loss.
Successful bariatric surgery patients have reduced hunger and appetite. Physical activities become easier and more enjoyable. The hormonal changes that helped lead to obesity are reversed, and weight maintenance becomes more manageable.
Many people with morbid obesity suffer from heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, back pain, joint disease and other serious ailments. Bariatric surgery can help resolve these issues.
Bariatric surgery at Barix Clinics is performed by rigorously trained and experienced bariatric surgeons. These medical professionals must not only prove that they are at the top of their field but must also complete extensive training through Barix Clinics.
Barix patients receive support from our staff from the moment they step into our clinics. Our insurance team will help you get approval for surgery from your insurance provider. Following surgery we provide special post-operative recovery that includes nutritional counseling and regular checkups.
We also offer our patients support groups and counseling to help them adjust to their new and exciting lives.
What causes morbid obesity?
Morbid obesity is a result of too much fat stored in the body. Simply put, when an individual consumes more calories than the body burns during activity and rest, those excess calories can turn into fat.
Of course, other factors contribute to morbid obesity besides eating habits and a lack of exercise.
- Medications, conditions such as hypothyroidism, and genetic factors all can play a key role in how the body stores energy and loses weight.
- People may develop eating habits as children and have trouble refining them to maintain proper weight as adults.
- Stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep are also known to cause weight fluctuations.
- Pregnancy and menopause are two major life events that disrupt the a woman’s normal cycles.
While these factors don’t directly lead to morbid obesity, they can certainly contribute.
If not properly controlled, morbid obesity increases the risk of:
- Osteoarthritis
- Heart disease and blood lipid abnormalities
- Stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Sleep apnea (when you periodically stop breathing during sleep)
- Reproductive problems
- Gallstones
- Certain cancers
- Obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- Metabolic syndrome
Why choose Barix Clinics?
Barix Clinics offers every form of weight loss surgery that is approved or covered by insurance. With 30 years experience and more than 50,000 patient surgeries performed, Barix Clinics is the most experienced hospital network providing weight loss surgery in America. The professional team of bariatric experts at Barix Clinics is committed to helping patients determine the best option for their personal medical condition.
