Would Al Roker Please Stop Smiling So Much?*Re-printed with permission from Jonathan Ross, 2006 ACE Personal Trainer of the Year. Of course you've heard about obesity surgery, but have you heard it all? Despite the risks this "last resort" surgery is becoming more common, with about 200,000 of them performed on Americans per year with the numbers expected to continue to surge. Some recent research and news items about this surgery only complicates the decision making process. I'll discuss the upsides and downsides briefly. If you or anyone you know is considering it, this information will be helpful. Despite Al Roker's trying-too-hard super-smile becoming the grinning face of obesity surgery, having the surgery done is a heavy decision to be met with the seriousness it deserves. In the U.S. gastric bypass surgery is the most common form of obesity surgery. While in many other countries, stomach-banding is the norm. This article will be limited to gastric bypass surgery. The Good •reverses type-II diabetes almost immediately •high long-term success rates for weight loss
•reduced mortality rates for morbidly obese
•can be the only option once certain weight levels are reached The Bad •digestive system is permanently altered •cost: average is around $35,000
•social impact of altered eating patterns •perceived as the "easy way out" by many •compromised absorption of nutrients •they are lucrative - leading some doctors to over- promote them
•complications rates are high following surgery You might think from the discrepancy in the size of the lists that I'm opposed to the surgery. You would be wrong. I'm neither opposed to it nor for it. The complex issues surrounding this surgery - not to mention the complexity of each person's physical makeup - make it impossible to make a sweeping conclusion to cover every situation. I'd like to discuss a couple of the factors in greater detail. Amazingly, gastric bypass reverses type-II diabetes almost immediately, often within days. This finding was from a review of 130 studies involving 22,000 patients. Diabetes is one of the most destructive diseases there is as its effects are far-reaching in the body. On the downside, this surgery is very lucrative. As a result, some medical professionals over-promote it. You may have seen ads in your local newspaper for free talks about obesity surgery given by doctors. If you are willing to take out an ad in the newspaper and give a talk for free, you're probably convinced the investment is worth it. I read a quote from one doctor who called gastric bypass "the plastic surgery of general surgery." Even worse, I have read of one account of a few doctors that have recommended their patients GAIN weight because the patients were just under the cutoff to have the surgery covered by insurance. Finally, I wish every celebrity that has had this surgery done would stop trying oh-so-hard to show us how gosh-darn happy they are every second of the day. It creates a perception in the public that the surgery provides an easy solution to a difficult problem. Simply put, this surgery amounts to carving up your insides and it should be viewed as what it is - the final admission of defeat when the only other alternative is death. I have a relative who had this surgery about many years ago, and has lost a lot of weight. But, suffice it to say, it has been a VERY difficult road. I sent some information before the surgery to help make an informed decision. That is all any of us can do. It is not for me or anyone else to decide the best course of action, but to provide credible information, given without judgment, to those we love should they be weighing the options for any difficult decision. Get Our Industry-Leading Fitness Empowerment Newsletter(Plus three more gifts valued at $77) Now!Gift #1: Our success-oriented "10 Strategies to having Your Best Year Ever" mini-course. We respect your privacy! Your email address will never be sold or rented |