ObesityHelp - Gastric Bypass, LAP-BAND® System, DS and Other Surgical and Non-Surgical Weight Loss Options.

U.S. rules on bariatric surgery lead some to Mexico
on August 21, 2008

At 5-foot-3 and 215 pounds, one thing J. never expected to hear was that she was not obese enough.

For years, the Boulder, Colo., woman dieted — at times shaving calories to almost starvation rations. She ran until her knees begged for mercy. But the weight didn't come off. So she decided to have surgery.

That's when she learned that, heavy as she was, she wasn't heavy enough to have gastric banding surgery. Nationwide guidelines stipulate that only adults with a body mass index of 40 or greater — 35 for patients with weight-related conditions — qualify for bariatric surgeries.

Weight-loss surgery has proven to be a boon for some people who find that the speedy reduction in pounds also helps improve related health issues such as diabetes.

Sleep apnea is another disorder that can be improved by weight loss — but it’s not a guaranteed cure.

DR. WEIL: Gastric bypass means lifelong diet changes
on August 20, 2008

What supplements should a 50-year-old woman take after weight-loss surgery?

To be truly successful, gastric bypass surgery requires lifelong changes in eating habits in order to lose weight, maintain your losses, and ensure that you are getting adequate nutrition with limited food intake.

Immediately after surgery, you will need a liquid diet - water, broth, juice, milk and cooked cereal - for a few days. Then progress to pureed foods for about a month while your stomach heals. You can then progress to easy-to-chew foods - cooked vegetables, soft fruits, and ground or canned meats such as chicken, ham, fish and some shellfish.

MSG and obesity?
on August 20, 2008

Why are we fat? No no no no! Not that stuff about eating-too-much-and-moving-too-little. We're talking about all the other theories out there -- we examined a slew of them recently in a Health section article by Karen Ravn. Stuff like corn syrup, obesity viruses, etc.

Here's one I hadn't heard of before (though it appears I have been living in a cave): too much MSG (monosodium glutamate). A study just published in the journal Obesity reported that people who use MSG to enhance the flavor of their foods are more likely to be obese than those who don't.

Obesity Raises Risks Of Serious Digestive Health Concerns
on August 20, 2008

The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

Dr. Trace Curry and his expert staff at the Fast Track Metabolic Weight Loss Center in Cincinnati, Ohio opened their doors in April 2008 to fill a gap in the fitness community that often overlooked the needs of the growing number of surgical weight loss patients. Equipped with state of the art ShapeMaster toning equipment, Fast Track offers professionally directed, comprehensive individual programs, which are particularly structured to meet patients' goals after weight loss surgery.

Bariatric surgery in a bar?!
on August 19, 2008

OK, so I indulged a bit on my vacation. Alright, alright. I admit that I indulged a lot.

Who could resist? Almost as soon as we arrived Down East (that's what they call the northern coast of Maine) my Aunt Barbara invited us over for haddock chowder and a walk across the bridge from her home in Calais to Canada for a tour of the Ganong chocolate factory.

Employers Seek to Gain From Weight-Loss Surgery
on August 19, 2008

With six in 10 American adults overweight or obese, benefit managers are desperately looking for ways to save money on the long-term costs associated with obesity-related diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Facing the facts on obesity
on August 19, 2008

We need more high level conversations in Australia about overweight and obesity. Not enough powerful people regard these attributes as a problem, least of all one that they could help solve. We need to extend the ideas of participatory democracy and summitry to address obesity.

All States' Obesity Rates Stay Same Or Rise
on August 19, 2008

Obesity rates continue to rise in 37 states, and no states have seen a decrease, according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health.

The new report compares rates from 2005-2007 to 2004-2006.

The group, which calls for fixes such as a national plan to fight child obesity and more workplace health facilities, found that at least one in five adults is obese in every state except Colorado, where the rate is 18.4 percent.