Magan Medical Clinic


	Home About Us History Mission Our Locations Our Staff Clinical Services Insurance Resources Employment Opportunities Patient Education Privacy Practices Magan WiFi Search:

Weight Loss

Overview

Obesity is defined as a "life-long progressive, life-threatening, costly, genetically related, multi-factorial disease of excess fat storage." Severe obesity is a chronic condition that is difficult to treat through diet and exercise alone. Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea, respiratory problems, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, endometrial, breast, prostate, & colon cancers, poor female reproductive health, & depression. Obesity is estimated to lead to 400,000 deaths annually. Diet and exercise only works for 1 in 20 people.

People who should consider weight loss, include those with a body mass index (BMI) above 30 (see table 1 for a BMI conversion chart). People with a BMI between 35 and 40 who suffer from type 2 diabetes or life-threatening cardiopulmonary problems such as severe sleep apnea or obesity-related heart disease are also candidates for weight loss.

Table 1: Body Mass Index

Find your weight on the bottom of the graph. Go straight up from that point until you come to the line that matches your height. Then look to find your weight group.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI = weight(kg) / height(m)²

World Health Organization Classification BMI

Ideal Weight	20-24.9
Overweight	25-29.9
Moderate obesity (class I)	30-34.9
Severe obesity (class II)	35-39.9
Morbid obesity (class III)	40-49.9
(Super obesity)	50+

U.S. Obesity Prevalence

The Normal Digestive Process

Normally, as food moves along the digestive tract, digestive juices and enzymes digest and absorb calories and nutrients (see figure 1). After we chew and swallow our food, it moves down the esophagus to the stomach, where a strong acid continues the digestive process. The stomach can hold about 3 pints of food at one time. When the stomach contents move to the duodenum, the first segment of the small intestine, bile and pancreatic juice speed up digestion. Most of the iron and calcium in the foods we eat is absorbed in the duodenum. The jejunum and ileum, the remaining two segments of the nearly 20 feet of small intestine, complete the absorption of almost all calories and nutrients. The food particles that cannot be digested in the small intestine are stored in the large intestine until eliminated.

How Does Surgery Promote Weight Loss?

Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called bariatric surgery, alters the digestive process. The operations promote weight loss by closing off parts of the stomach to make it smaller. Operations that only reduce stomach size are known as "restrictive operations" because they restrict the amount of food the stomach can hold.

Some operations combine stomach restriction with a partial bypass of the small intestine. These procedures create a direct connection from the stomach to the lower segment of the small intestine, literally bypassing portions of the digestive tract that absorb calories and nutrients. These are known as malabsorptive operations.

Health Dangers of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Risks and Complications of Stomach Bypass Operations to Reduce Obesity

About 10-20 percent of patients undergoing stomach bypass require follow-up operations to correct complications, the most common complaints being abdominal hernias.
More than one-third of patients who have gastric bypass surgery develop gallstones.
Complication rates in the early post-operative period, such as infection, dehiscence, leaks from staple breakdown, stomal stenosis which leads to obstruction in the stomach, ulcers and deep thrombophlebitis may be as high as ten percent or more.
Dumping Syndrome: other post-surgical complications may include a condition known as Dumping Syndrome, where the stomach contents move too quickly through the small intestine causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and sweating.
Nutritional Deficiencies: This operation also carries a greater risk for nutritional deficiencies, known as malabsorption syndrome.
Excess Tissue/Skin: After Surgery you may experience excess tissue/skin, and this can require additional surgery which most insurance companies do not cover.
Risk for Bacteria: There is a high risk for bacterial overgrowth in the stomach.
Over the long term, the health complications of gastric bypass may include a variety of conditions and problems.
The health risks of revisional surgery are higher.

There are several types of restrictive and malabsorptive operations. Each one carries its own risks.

We have also provided a link to the Weight Watcher’s website on our home page.

For more than 90 years, Magan Medical Clinic has provided quality care for our patients. You can feel confident that our physicians have the experience needed to provide patients with the best possible care, and education on a variety of healthcare topics.