Weight Loss Surgery

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

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 (often performed with the daVinci Robotic Surgical System by Dr. Basa) 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.

Obesity Overview

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

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.