Looking for surgical options for weight loss? A procedure known as Vertical banded gastroplasty, or VBG for short is one such option.

In this procedure, the stomach is partitioned into two with staples and fitted with a plastic band to limit the amount of food that the stomach can hold.  Food then begins to empty from the upper pouch to the lower pouch through the small opening which was created by the banding.  This popular surgical procedure is part of a relatively new surgical subspecialty called Bariatric surgery.

Vertical banded gastroplasty may also be performed with the laparoscopic approach using precision small instruments and a camera, however this requires the selection of a competent surgeon with proper training in the laparoscopic approach. Of course it should be noted that going the laparoscopic way means that it does not require an incision and thus no scars. However, currently in the US, most of the VBG’s are still being carried out with open surgery.

The risks and complications are similar with Lap-Band surgery. It should also be noted that there may be long term risks involved. Studies have shown that patients who have had VBG are more likely to regain the lost weight as compared to those who have had gastric bypass surgery.  This happens as people get adjusted to the smaller stomach and tend to eat food with a high calorie content.  The statistics from a follow up study are not encouraging showing that up to 80% of patients were unable to keep off the weight 10 years down the road.

The Sun, a prominent newspaper from the UK has run a news report today with the headline - ‘Fatties Cause Global Warming’.

Well, it basically says that the rising number of fat people throught the world were blamed yesterday for global warming.
Scientists are saying that the increase in the number of obese people results in an increase in food production which is a major cause of CO2 gas emission - which then goes on to warm the climate.

It also points out that overweight people would rather drive than walk - and this is adding to the damage of our environment as well.

Quoting a doctor from a Medical School in London,who said “Moving about in a heavy body is like driving in a gas guzzler.” Each fat person is said to be responsible for emitting a tonne more of climate-warming carbon dioxide per year than a thin one.

This is resulting in the creation of an extra BILLION TONNES of CO2 a year if you take into account the number of overweight people as per WHO estimates.

So, what do you think? Fact or just another media hype?

There’s more to read at the Sun, so go read and let us know how you feel about this.

Source: The Sun: Fatties Cause Global Warming.

As the term implies, Roux-en-Y gastric by-pass surgery is a procedure where  your stomach is made smaller, and this smaller portion is connected directly to the jejunum so as to allow food to by-pass the rest of your stomach and your duodenum.

This procedure has a dual effect. This is because, not only will food intake be reduced as a result of feeling full ‘quickly’ when eating because of a smaller stomach, it also involves inducing some amount of malabsorbtion of the food on account of it by-passing the duodenum. Calorie intake will be reduced because of reduced intake as well as less absorption. This results with weight loss.

The Roux-en-Y surgical procedure can be performed with the laparoscopic approach using precision small instruments and a camera which guides the surgeon to perform the surgery.

As for the Roux-en-Y surgical procedure the complications are similar as the Lap-Band Surgical Procedure, however in this case there is the added danger of infection, leakage and nutritional deficiency. Another risk is called the “dumping syndrome” where food tends to pass through the stomach and small intestine too rapidly resulting in it being ‘dumped’.

So you have heard of the LAP-BAND® Surgery for weight loss.

Here is a simple explanation of what the procedure involves. It must be noted that this surgical procedure is normally recommended for those who are clinically diagnosed with Morbid Obesity.

Lap Band Surgery For Weight Loss

Laparoscopic gastric banding surgery is performed by placing an inflatable band around the upper part of the stomach so as to create a small pouch with a narrow passage leading into the remainder of the stomach.
With the Lap-Band® procedure, a feeling of being full is felt early when eating thus limiting the intake of food. It is inflated with saline making it safe and can be adjusted over time to vary the size of the passage to the larger portion of the stomach.

Lap-Band® Surgery is the surgery often recommended for those with Morbid Obesity. The band, though intended to left permanently, can be removed by the surgeon should it be necessary.

A proper diet program after surgical weight loss treatment is crucial for the success of the procedure. The patient will also be advised to follow an exercise program in order to maintain the weight loss achieved.

The Lap-Band® is not without its share of complications which include abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea and vomiting. There could also be slippage of the band and the pouch enlarging over time. Not forgetting the risk of surgery and related post surgical complications as well.

If you thing that you may be suffering from Morbid Obesity, then a Gastric By-Pass Surgery may be an option for you.

Morbid Obesity is best defined as a severe case of obesity where the Body Mass Index (BMI) is greater than 39, and generally this disease is no curable by dieting or medication.  A BMI of greater than 39 is about the equivalent of about a 100 pounds above the Ideal body Weight. It is believed that almost 3-6 million people in the US can be classified as Morbidly Obese.

Body Mass Index (BMI) has been the most accepted parameter for defining whether someone is overweight. It is a measure of weight corrected for height and which reflects the total body fat. Our BMI generally increases as we age.

gastric by-pass for fat loss

In most cases, those who suffer from Morbid Obesity will most likely be also suffering from a host of other medical conditions like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, reflux, diseases of the skeletal joints and other related diseases.

Should you be diagnosed with Morbid Obesity and diet regimes or drug treatment for weight loss has failed, then the National Institute of Health believes that Weight Loss Surgery is the only therapy best suited for you so as to ensure lasting effects.

A popular procedure for the treatment of Morbid Obesity is the Gastric By-Pass surgery.  Another popular procedure is Gastroplasty or also known as gastric portioning.  This involves creating a small gastric pouch, which is drained through a narrow calibrated stoma thus limiting the intake of solids.   On the other hand, gastric by-pass surgery involves creating a larger pouch which completely by-passes the duodenum and empties into the jejunum.

Gastric By-Pass Surgery is considered today as the most effective and safest surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity. This technique induces weight loss by combining restricted intake and a moderate degree of malabsorbtion of the food consumed. Initial loss of weight is greater after this procedure than as compared with gastroplasty.

It’s best that you seek medical advise if you feel that you are grossly overweight. Remember, it’s the doctor who decides if you are morbidly obese and require surgery. Bear in mind that taking the surgical approach for fat loss is only recommended after attempts with a diet program and exercise have failed.

So…..have you tried a Fat Loss Diet Program?