Benefits of weight loss surgery

The traditional advice of “eat less and exercise more” to lose weight is a very simplistic approach to a complex problem.

Obesity is caused by a combination of factors including genetics, biology, environment, society, culture and individual psychology.

While diets may work in the short-term, they are not sustainable and do not work in the long term. Dieting alone cannot achieve results that are comparable to weight loss surgery. There is good evidence in the literature which supports the effectiveness of weight loss surgery.

Those that believe surgery is the easy option to weight loss do not have an understanding of the difficulties faced by obese individuals.

The benefits of weight loss surgery include:

• Significant and sustained weight loss – on average, people can lose up to 70% of their excess weight

• Improvement or remission in weight related health conditions such as diabetes, sleep apnoea, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, joint and back pain

• A reduction in cancer risk – obesity is linked to many cancers including endometrial, breast, ovarian, oesophageal, stomach, pancreatic, liver, kidney, and thyroid

• A reduction in vascular events such as a heart attack or stroke

• Living to a normal life expectancy

• Improvement in quality of life such as mobility, energy levels, relationships, and employment opportunities

Sometimes, significant weight loss is a requirement for other surgical procedures such as a hip or knee joint replacement.

Successful weight loss surgery is not just about the weight lost but a combination of the above factors. The ripple effect of losing weight impacts significantly on all areas of your life.

Every person is unique and as a consequence, outcomes will vary between individuals

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