Managing Your Weight

Different approaches to a healthier lifestyle.

Obesity is a common and serious chronic health condition that impacts both children and adults. The CDC reports that the prevalence of obesity in the United States is greater than 40% in adults and 20% in children, and those numbers are continuing to climb. It is a complex, lifelong, neurobehavioral disease that is caused by excess fat storage due to abnormal eating patterns, reduced physical activity levels, environmental stressors, genetics and other, sometimes poorly understood, factors.

Obesity often leads to the development of numerous medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, elevated blood pressure, sleep apnea, several types of cancers, and infertility. There are various weight-management strategies that can be utilized by patients struggling with obesity that leads to substantial weight loss, resolution of associated medical conditions, and improved psychosocial health.

The most successful strategy involves a multidisciplinary approach under the guidance of trained specialists that includes a combination of behavioral adaptations, dietary modifications, physical exercise, anti-obesity medications, and weight-loss surgery.

Learn which option is best for you

For those patients seeking substantial weight loss, it’s imperative to involve their primary care provider, or a specialist trained in the management of obesity, to select the most appropriate starting point. There are new medications and new surgical procedures on the horizon that promote substantial weight loss with minimal side effects, but not every approach is suitable for everyone, and they may require long-term monitoring and compliance to ensure continued success.

Metabolic and bariatric surgery, otherwise known as weight-loss surgery, modifies your stomach and small intestine anatomy to regulate the foods you are able to consume and absorb. These procedures also lead to beneficial changes in the entire process of digestion by modifying the hormonal environment in your body.

Learn more about weight management strategies

The advantages of bariatric surgery include substantial weight loss above what can be achieved through any other means, improved metabolism and reduced hunger, and resolution or improvement in numerous medical conditions. This type of surgery will require preoperative education and preparation to ensure your procedure is safe and effective, and that you achieve your desired long-term weight-loss goals.

– Alexander Ayzengart, MD, MPH
Bariatric Surgeon and Weight-Loss Specialist

Free live seminar

Register for our Weight Management Community Seminar with Dr. Ayzengart.
Tuesday, October 24, 6 – 7 p.m.
The seminar is free and includes a complimentary dinner.

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Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if bariatric surgery is right for you.