Learn About Morbid Obesity from Our Cedar Park Bariatric Surgeons, Located Near Austin

Obesity is a serious disease that threatens the health of many Americans. Research estimates that obesity and related health problems kill over 300,000 people each year and cost over a hundred-million dollars to treat. Morbid obesity is defined as having a body mass index greater than 40. Overcoming the obesity epidemic begins with education. Learning about the causes, risks, and effects of morbid obesity can help individuals decide how best to treat it. Read on for more information about morbid obesity, and contact Cedar Park Surgeons, PA, serving Austin and nearby communities, to attend a free bariatric seminar to learn about your weight loss surgery options.

• Causes of Obesity
• Health Risks
• Co-Morbid Conditions
• Surgical Treatment for Morbid Obesity

Causes of Obesity

The direct cause of obesity, or morbid (extreme) obesity, is taking in more calories than the body needs on a daily basis. Behaviors that contribute to this include eating a diet high in sugar and fat and leading a sedentary lifestyle. But obesity is not always triggered by behavioral factors or habits alone. Genetics is another common cause of obesity; some people are more genetically prone to gaining weight than others.  Also, certain environments may lead to unhealthy eating habits and little physical activity.

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Health Risks

Being overweight can do more than affect one's appearance; obesity can have a profound impact on the health of many areas of the body, including the heart, lungs, bones, joints, and muscles. Morbid obesity is associated with a high occurrence of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, and arthritis. Also, obesity can elevate the risk of psychological illnesses such as depression and body dysmorphic disorder. Often, drastic weight loss through bariatric surgery reduces or eliminates these health risks. Contact Drs. Abando and Basa at Cedar Park Surgeons, PA for further information about morbid obesity and the associated health risks.

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Co-morbid Conditions and Related Complications of Morbid Obesity

Obesity is most commonly associated with the following co-morbid conditions and complications:

• Heart disease
• Sleep apnea
• Type 2 diabetes
• Hypertension
• Hypothyroidism
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Osteoarthritis
• Fertility or pregnancy difficulties
• Urinary incontinence

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Surgical Treatment for Morbid Obesity

Diet and exercise are both excellent ways to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Eating a balanced diet and getting enough physical activity are traditionally very effective methods of staying at a weight in healthy proportion to height. In some cases, however, obese individuals have rapidly declining health conditions which require surgical intervention to lose hundreds of excess pounds. When performed on appropriate candidates by skilled surgeons such as Dr. Alan Abando and Dr. Nicole Basa, bariatric surgery can be a literal life saver. Surgeries such as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and Sleeve gastrectomy alter the size of the stomach and reroute the digestive tract, limiting the amount of food that the patient can take in after surgery. This leads to drastic weight loss and, in many cases, the disappearance of many co-morbid conditions.

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Contact Cedar Park Bariatric Surgeons, PA

Bariatric surgery is an important tool that many rely on to save lives claimed by obesity. To learn more about how to reduce or eliminate obesity-related health issues, contact Cedar Park Surgeons (located near Austin) to attend a free bariatric seminar and speak to a bariatric surgeon.