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As Americans struggle with the being overweight, the medical community responds with a weapon of its own: bariatric treatment. Approximately two-thirds of Americans are overweight and 12 million are morbidly obese which means they must lose at least 100 lbs. in order to survive. Life-changing surgery can grant years to this sector of the population which is at great risk. Among the most successful kinds of weight-loss surgery are Roux-en-gastric bypass and gastric banding. Roux-en-gastric bypass works by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten and the number of calories that can be absorbed by the digestive system. The surgeon creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach and adds a new route for the food to go through the small intestine. The other procedure is commonly referred to as a Lap Band. This method ties off a large portion of the stomach to restrict the amount of food that can be absorbed. Both procedures result in weight loss. Bariatric treatment requires general anesthesia be applied to the patient. Afterward, the patient is to refrain from eating for one to three days after surgery to give the stomach time to heal itself. For the next three months, a very restrictive diet must be followed, starting with only liquids and then progressing to soft foods and finally, typical foods. It is difficult to believe, but this kind of weight loss surgery leaves the stomach the size of a walnut. Because of that, great care must be taken not to ingest too much food too quickly, or the patient will feel sharp pain beneath the breastbone. Additionally, the patient may feel very sick to his stomach. These symptoms will improve over time after bariatric treatment, but the patient will never be able to return to his old unhealthy way of eating. Once someone has been diagnosed with obesity, they realize the long and difficult road ahead of them. Fortunately, there are many solutions available and resources to understand the effects of obesity. Be sure to check out Defeating Obesity for additional Free information.
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