Obesity has now overtaken smoking as
the leading cause of premature death and
illness in Australia and has become the single
biggest threat to public health in the country.
The obesity crisis is not on its way –
Pindara Magazine 37
it is already here.
ithin the medical community,
obesity is no longer considered just a
cosmetic issue, brought on by a lack
of self-discipline. It is a complex condition with
biological, genetic, behavioural, social, cultural, and
environmental influences. The human body is made
to survive in situations where food is scarce and
high physical activity is the norm. However, in this
day and age much of humanity experiences just the
opposite. Food is overabundant and physical activity
is actually a break from the normal daily routine.
As a society, we experience high levels of stress,
anxiety, and depression, fewer opportunities for
physical activity and greater exposure to advertising
and marketing of obesity-promoting products.
But obesity can be treated.
Weight-loss surgery, known as bariatric surgery, is
recognised by the National Institutes of Health (one
of the world’s foremost medical research centres)
as the only effective long-term treatment for severe
obesity. It can reverse related health complications
such as diabetes and obstructive sleep apnoea, and
improve quality of life.
Bariatric surgeries are designed to impact on true
physiological hunger, but internal hunger is not the
only trigger for eating. Many external factors trigger
a person’s desire to eat and influence their food
choices and eating behaviour. Weight-loss surgery is
most effective when combined with nutritional and
psychological care, which is sometimes complex,
always ongoing and differs from person to person.
As an Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon with
over 20 years of experience, and the head of the
Surgical Weight-Loss Centre; I know the key to
successful surgical weight-loss goes far beyond
the surgery itself.
It is not just the operation that is important;
it is about choosing a surgeon with a team of
professionals who are dedicated to ensuring you
stay on track, reach your goals and sustain your
weight-loss for life.
It’s vital that a team of professionals work together
to identify the specific issues that have prevented
a person from achieving their weight-loss goals to
date, and to help them overcome these hurdles for a
healthy future.
A safe and successful procedure is paramount, but it
is just the first step in a life-long commitment by the
patient, and the surgical team, to ensure weight-loss
is sustained long into the future.
A good surgical weight-loss program takes a holistic
approach to treatment and care to ensure patients are
guided through the entire process with considered
and individual advice for every phase of the weight-loss
journey.
My recommendations for choosing the right surgeon
and weight-loss program are:
Find an experienced surgeon
Studies show that surgeries performed by an
experienced surgeon result in fewer complications.
Your surgeon should have extensive experience
operating on the upper gastrointestinal tract
and performing the specific procedure you are
undertaking. No single weight-loss surgery
procedure is best for everyone. If a surgeon only
performs one procedure, ask why.
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