Bariatric Surgery: Weight Loss Procedure Types, What Is Gastric Bypass?

Bariatric surgery: what are the different types of weight loss procedures, and what is gastric bypass?

Bariatric surgery to treat obesity has been one of the fastest-growing weight loss measures for the last few years running. And that is perhaps not surprising given the vast amounts of fat that can be trawled from your body after just a couple of hours under the knife.

But the question is – how effective is bariatric surgery in the long term?

♥ And at an average cost of $25,000 per bariatric surgery procedure, do people really get their money’s worth for what is essentially a simple act of having part of your stomach closed to make you consume less?

Studies on Long-term Weight Loss After Gastric Bypass

More and more of our 72 million obese Americans are turning to bariatric weight loss surgery to beat the disease, and on the face of it having your stomach reduced by way of internal staples may be a quick fix approach that has wide appeal, although according to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism significant weight regain occurs over the long-term following gastric bypass and gastric band surgery.

♥ The study also concludes that, as well as weight regain, gastric bypass surgery leads to frequent incidence of iron, vitamin B-12, folate, calcium, and vitamin D deficiency, which would require regular monitoring and intake of vitamin supplements to redress the balance.

♥ In another study published by Ohio State University, researchers found that fifty percent of patients regained weight after 48 months following bariatric surgery and that follow-up care workouts to help patients with adjusting to new eating habits were not available at every hospital where surgery took place.

♥ The researchers concluded that social support from family and counseling, as well as in-class exercising, and self-regulated target-setting were key to preventing weight regain in bariatric surgery patients.

Keeping the Weight Off Post Procedure

That’s basically because keeping the weight off post bariatric surgery is still all about watching what you eat and limiting portion sizes, as American Idol’s Randy Jackson has found.

The music celebrity, who underwent gastric bypass weight loss in 2003 and lost 98 pounds, was reportedly putting the weight back on when struggling to cope with the abundance of junk food backstage at the American Idol studios.

Jackson admitted he was finding it hard to stick to the weight loss surgery diets that accompany the procedure. “The struggle continues,” he said, “it never ends.”

Range of Post-surgery Complications

Weight loss after surgery can further be hindered by a range of bariatric surgery complications that can include infection caused by the staples slipping into the stomach.

For women especially, other side effects are an increased risk of bone loss, and anemia (because of a lack of vitamin B12) which can occur six months after surgery.

And according to Dr. Ellen Scherl of the Weill Medical College of Cornell University women are also susceptible to postoperative malnutrition syndrome which can produce deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, E, K, and D. This is important, says Dr. Scherl, because women are at greater risk of osteoporosis.

Of course, death itself is not to be overlooked. As with any procedure that involves general anesthetic, and scalpels, there is a serious risk that you just might not make it to enjoy supper time from your hospital bed later that same day.

Nutritionist Aftercare Recommendation

That’s why many doctors stress the importance of consulting nutritionists after bariatric surgery because they point out that gastrointestinal surgery is a treatment not a cure for obesity.

♥ It is only by eating less that the weight will be kept off.

♥ It’s all about strict portion control, slow eating, and repetitive chewing to account for the drastically reduced stomach capacity.

But in fact – that can all be done without having a gastric band fitted.

Weight Loss Help

Like many weight loss workouts and so-called cures, the bottom line is there is no substitute for adopting a well-balanced regimen of healthy eating and regular exercise.

Which is another reason why the team at changingshape.com prefers to promote the benefits of natural teamwork for all their clients looking to embark on a weight loss and fitness plan.

With experts in nutrition and professional fitness coaches, the emphasis is on personal, lifelong partnerships to assist with permanent and healthy weight control, bariatrics or not.

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