The Dangers of Surgical Weight Loss

More and more Americans are choosing surgical options to lose weight. In 1998, there were 13,000 surgical weight loss procedures in the U.S. By 2008, that number had grown to a whopping 200,000 procedures, according to the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). With more than one-third of the adult population battling obesity, weight loss surgery sounds like a godsend. Or is it?

Proponents of the surgery claim that it is the most effective way to lose weight for good. According to an article by Medical News Today, there is research supportingthat the surgery is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events, like heart attack. Some proponents even suggest that the surgery is associated with increased sex drive.

Eating better and getting more exercise suddenly sounds like a lot of extra work. Except, it’s not. Doctors have found that one such surgery, gastric banding, may cause the patient’s esophagus to dilate if they overeat. To prevent this, the patient has to keep to a strict diet. Another popular surgery, gastric bypass, can lead to long-term vitamin and mineral deficiencies. In addition, women who have a weight loss surgery are more likely to prematurely give birth to small babies. These are just some of the possible long-term effects.

This evidence proves that weight loss surgery might not be the end-all be-all cure for obesity. Putting some real effort into practicing a healthier lifestyle is still the best option.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/269487.php

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.