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The
obesity problem in America has become a hot media topic for good
reason. Some researchers now claim it is the second leading preventable
cause of death - after smoking in North America.
According to the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS),
one-third of the American population - almost 100 million individuals
-- is overweight or obese.
Morbidly obese is usually defined as being 100 pounds over "ideal
weight" (click here for the table ) And, an estimated five
to 10 million Americans are morbidly obese, and thus are at increased
risk for serious disease and the likelihood of shorter live expectancies.
Other indicators of morbid obesity include:
A) A Body Mass Index of 40 or greater (click here for details).
B) Waist circumference greater than 40 inches (102 cm) in men;
and greater than 35 inches (88 cm) in women.
C) A waist to hip ratio greater than one in men and greater than
0.8 in women.
In its pamphlet, "Surgery for Morbid Obesity: What Patients
Should Know", the ASBS says "it is very important to
understand that medical interventions, including surgery, are
not the cure for obesity, but a way of controlling the disease."
Additionally, "the conservative management of morbid obesity
(diet, exercise, drugs, behavioral modifications, etc.) has been
found to be ineffective in the long-term. More than 95 percent
of subjects retain their lost weight within a few years after
the conservative treatment.
"Surgery for morbid obesity is the only method that has
resulted in long-term maintenance of weight loss and reduction
in the associated diseases, with marked improvement in quality
of life, social interaction, psychological well-being, work opportunities
and economic conditions."
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To understand
how surgery aids in weight loss, one needs to know how the gastrointestinal
tract functions. The digestive tract is a marvelous assembly
line in which food, digestive juices and enzymes come together
at the optimum place and time to allow for appropriate digestion
and absorption of nutrients.
The esophagus
is a long muscular tube which moves food from the mouth to the
stomach. The stomach rests at the top of the abdomen. The abdomen
is a large cavity filled with digestive organs. The normal stomach
can hold more than three pints of food from a single meal. It
stores food, and mixes it with acid that it produces to assist
in digestion. A valve between the esophagus and the stomach
opens to allow food to pass (and then closes to keep acid from
refluxing back into the esophagus. The stomach also churns larger
bites of food to break in down into smaller pieces. It then
empties small amounts of semi-solid food through another valve
(the pylorus) into the small intestine, where digestion continues
and most of the nutrients are absorbed.
The small bowel
is about 15-20 feet long, which allows sufficient time for digestion
and absorption to occur. The first part of the small bowel is
the duodenum. As food enters it is mixed with bile produced
by the liver and juices from the pancreas. This area of the
bowel also accounts for the absorption of much of our body's
iron and calcium.
The last segment
of the small intestine, called ileum, is also very important
in the absorption of nutrients and fat-soluble vitamins (A,
D, E and K). Once the intestinal contents reach the colon or
large bowel, excess fluid is absorbed and a firmer stool is
formed. Another large valve separates the small intestine from
the colon, to keep the bacteria-laden colon contents from coming
back into the small bowel.
Source: The American
Society of Bariatric Surgery
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