For the obese weight reduction surgery is a chance at living a healthier life. Obesity is a contributing factor to many life-threatening diseases and illnesses such as heart disease, high-blood pressure, cancer and diabetes. The life expectancy of the obese is lower than those of a healthy weight and the quality of life is also compromised as patients often experience back and joint pain, shortness of breath and other ailments.

Candidates for surgical weight reduction are generally 100 pounds or more over a healthy weight, or have a BMI of 35 to 40. Loosing weight through surgical intervention is not a quick fix for obesity, but requires a life-time commitment to eating right, exercise and following the post-surgical medical advice. Psychological issues that contributed to obesity must also be addressed throughout the individual’s life-time.

Weight reduction surgery carries significant risk for the patient, as obese people are not the best surgical candidates. However; risk for complications can be reduced by finding an experienced surgeon and following the pre- and post-operative instructions exactly. Patients are often required to loose 10 to 20 pounds in the month or weeks before surgery. This reduces the risk of complication by shrinking a fatty liver. It also shows the surgeon that you are committed to making this life changing decision.

There are several types of weight loss surgery. Some work by simply reducing the size of the stomach through banding. A smaller stomach size means that less volume of food can be consumed. Other types are called gastric bypass, where the stomach size is reduced most often through stapling, and the top portion of the intestine is bypassed. This bypass reduces the amount of calories and nutrients that can be absorbed by the body.

Weight loss surgery can have impressive results with many patients loosing 100 pounds over the course of the first year. In addition to weight loss, other health problems have been resolved, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.