Obesity is a serious health concern all over the world and has become one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Deadly complications of obesity affect every organ of our body including brain. Research has proved that risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease (both are brain disorders) particularly increases in obese people. They suffer these two brain disorders more frequently than do people with normal body weight.

Alzheimer’s disease or senile dementia is a brain disorder in which patient loses recent and past memory. This diseases starts usually in seventh decade of life and worldwide incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is 1 in 85 people having age 65 years or more. Patient initially feels difficulty in recollecting recent events but as the disease progresses past memory is also lost. In severe disease patient experiences extreme difficulty in self-care and independent living. Obese people develop this condition pretty earlier and according to research patients who are severely obese develop Alzheimer’s disease 10-18 year earlier than people with normal weight. Body mass index is closely related to this risk so, severer the obesity, more risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Several studies support the relationship between obesity and Alzheimer’s disease. Brain shrinkage is believed to be the principal factor in earlier development of Alzheimer’s disease in obese people. Neurons in important areas of brain which are concerned with memory and learning (for example Hippocampus) are damaged. Brain mapping studies show that obese people lose more brain tissue with advancing age than people with normal weight. How this brain shrinkage occurs in obesity, is explained in following ways:

1. Increased body fats/ fat cells release some inflammatory chemical called cytokines which cause cell death in different brain parts especially in areas which are concerned with memory. When neurons are damaged in these areas, memory loss occurs and Alzheimer’s disease results.
2. Beta amyloid protein (which is present excessively in brain cells of patients having Alzheimer’s disease), increases in brain tissue of severely obese people. This increases chance of brain shrinkage and Alzheimer’s disease in obese people.
3. Role of obesity in Alzheimer’s disease is also supported by the presence of FTO gene. FTO gene is related to body fats and increases body mass index. People who have this gene are at greater risk of brain shrinkage and Alzheimer’s disease. In one study 1000 Swedish people of age 75 years were followed for nine years to determine the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It was found that persons who had FTO gene were at 58% more risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Fortunately Alzheimer’s disease develops slowly and its symptoms appear only if obesity remains for long time. This fact is very important for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease in obesity. If obese people lose weight quickly, the risk of Alzheimer’s can be reduced. Research has found that losing weight improves mental slowing and memory in obese people. The key to success is losing weight as early as possible otherwise; it will be of little help if brain shrinkage has already occurred.

Weight loss can be achieved by adopting different measures. Dieting and exercises are helpful measures in mild to moderate obesity but they alone are in-effective in severe obesity. In severe obesity weight-loss surgery along with dieting and exercise, is the only effective measure that has no failure in bringing the desired results. Weight loss surgery or bariatric surgery loses weight quickly and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease significantly. American college of surgeons only recommends dedicated bariatric surgery hospitals for safe and effective bariatric surgery procedures. Surgery centers that lack many of the facilities for bariatric surgery should never be selected for this vital surgery.

Infertility is one of the major problems related to obesity and this problem is compounded with every pound rise in weight. Research says that every unit increase in BMI over 29 reduces the chances of fertility by 4%. Thus morbidly obese females have very low rate of fertility as compared to age-matched women with normal weight.

Obesity hampers fertility in several ways; hormonal disturbances are thought to be the main cause of infertility in obese women. Obese females usually don’t have regular menstruation and ovulation which are cornerstones of achieving pregnancy. Another astonishing fact is that even those obese women who have regular menstruation and ovulation still have little chances of pregnancy. This fact was testified in a research by Dr. Van der Steeg, a medical researcher at the Academic Medical Center in The Netherlands. This means the mechanism behind low fertility rate in obesity is very complex and many missing links are yet to be elucidated.

Losing weight improves many obesity related problems and if weight loss is gradual, it also increases pregnancy rate. Weight loss improves fertility by several ways by removing the bad effects of obesity. Several studies have been published emphasizing the significance of weight loss in improving fertility. Some of the proposed mechanisms are as follows,

Weight loss reduces insulin resistance which is beneficial in improving fertility rate in women having polycystic ovarian disease. Insulin resistance is an important factor causing infertility in PCOS, when it is removed, hormonal disturbances also improve so is chance of getting pregnancy.

Weight loss helps improves menstrual irregularities in obese ladies and induces normal ovulatory cycles. This again increases the chances of pregnancy.

Having or achieving normal weight not only improves the chances of pregnancy but it is also helpful in reducing pregnancy related problems. Research has found that obese ladies entering pregnancy have more chances of getting gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertension, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, fetal abnormalities and difficult labor. This is again a valid reason for achieving normal weight before being pregnant.

Weight loss needs a solid commitment and a right selection of weight loss program. General measures (exercise and dieting) and medications are effective in losing weight in mild to moderate obesity (BMI 30-35) but morbid obesity (BMI more than 40) is a special issue which is best solved with Bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgery is extremely effective at losing weight in morbid obesity. The only remembering point is that weight loss surgery is a specialized surgery for which only dedicated Bariatric surgery hospital is a safe site. Don’t choose a substandard cheap weight loss surgery center that lacks many of the much needed facilities for safety of the patient.

Obesity is a giant obstacle in the way of healthy living. It disturbs the function of almost every organ of our body. Pancreas is among the most important organs that serves many vital functions. It not only helps in digestion of food in the intestine by producing pancreatic juice but also the main source of insulin in our body. Increased body fat (as in case of obesity) is a danger for severe inflammation of pancreas called acute pancreatitis. This inflammation may lead to a number of complications including death.

Acute pancreatitis is a condition in which inflammation of pancreas cause severe pain in upper abdomen along with symptoms like vomiting, low blood pressure and others depending upon the severity of pancreatitis. Almost 80% patients suffer mild pancreatitis while 20% patients have severe pancreatitis with local and systemic complications. But in case of obesity more and more complications occur.

Complications of acute pancreatitis can be divided into local complications and systemic complications. Local complications include necrosis and inflammation of the pancreas, necrosis of the colon, rupture of spleen and bleeding from gastrointestinal tract. Systemic complications include coagulopathy (deranged function of blood clotting), hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, renal failure, respiratory failure and hypovolumic shock. The consequences of pancreatitis in the long run may be pancretitic insufficiency in which pancreas is not able to produce pancreatic juice and digestive system is affected badly as well as diabetes mellitus.

How Obesity Enhances Severity of Pancreatitis?

Research shows that fat tissue of our body serves endocrine function and releases substances called adipokines which are main culprit in producing severe inflammation of pancreas. Severity of obesity is directly related to severity of acute pancreatitis. Obesity is considered one of the prognostic factors in acute pancreatitis so patients who have normal weight recover from pancreatitis easily without acquiring complications while those who are obese suffer complications of pancreatitis more frequently. Some of the facts about obesity and complications of acute pancreatitis are as follows,

1. Obese patients have more severe inflammation of pancreas than non-obese patients
2. Systemic and local complications of acute pancreatitis are seen more frequently than in patients with normal weight
3. Chances of dying in acute pancreatitis are more in obese people than in non-obese patients

Conclusion

The above discussion signifies the importance of normal weight in bearing the stress of acute pancreatits. Obesity is a life threatening condition that should be addressed seriously. Good thing about the complications of the obesity is that most of them are reversible if weight reduction is done in time. Losing weight remains challenge in morbid obesity where simple measures like dieting and exercise don’t prove much effective in significant weight loss. In case of morbid obesity in which patient has BMI more than 40 the only effective and time tested measure is weight loss or bariatric surgery.

The beauty of bariatric surgery is that it has a number of options individualized to need of people selecting this wonderful way of losing weight. Effectiveness of bariatric surgery is above board; people who undergo bariatric surgery procedures at specialized bariatric surgery hospitals feel the difference in weeks. Many complications of obesity are cured automatically when patient comes to normal weight. Important thing to remember is that bariatric surgery is a specialized type of surgery that should only be done by experienced surgeon in safe environment. Both experienced surgeon and safety of procedure is only available at dedicated bariatric surgery hospitals not in substandard surgery centers.

Obesity causes many joint problems and gout is one which has strong association with obesity. It has been found that prevalence of gout in obese people is very much higher than in persons having normal weight. American health statistics say that prevalence of gout is 1% ( 1 in 100 Americans sufferers from crystal arthropathy or gout) in general population but this is much higher in obese population. In obese population prevalence of gout increases to 6% in men and 2% in women which means one in sixteen obese people suffers from gout.

Gout is a disabling disease of joints in which uric acid levels increase in the blood. When uric acid levels reach to much higher value, it forms crystals which settle in different body tissues including joints. These crystals cause severe inflammation of joint tissue and result in gouty attack. The most commonly involved joint is big toe joint (first metatarso-phalyngeal joint) but ankle, knee, shoulder and other joints may be involved. Most commonly gouty attack occurs suddenly and joint swelling and pain settles over hours to days but in some case joint pain may persist for several weeks.

Obesity is a declared risk factor for gout. Research shows that excessive weight increases the risk of gout in two ways:

1. People having excessive weight or obesity, suffer gouty attacks at earlier age than population with normal weight. On average obese people experience gouty attacks 3 years earlier than people with normal weight.
2. Severity of obesity is directly related to severity of gout. It means that people with more severe obesity experience more frequent and severe attacks of gout.

How Obesity Contributes to Gouty Attacks?

The main factor behind increased risk of gout in obese people is insulin resistance. Obese people have metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance which increases uric acid levels in the body by causing overproduction of uric acid and reducing excretion of uric acid by the kidneys. Both, overproduction and under excretion builds uric acid levels in blood to higher values. At higher levels, chances of precipitation of uric acid in the form of crystals increase. This results in hyperuricemia and crystallization of uric acid in joints. Uric acid accumulated in joints set severe inflammatory reaction which causes excruciating pain and swelling of joints. Repeated attacks of gout can destroy the joint to an extent that patient may not be able to walk comfortably.

Higher uric acid levels not only cause gout but also damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. People with hyperuricemia suffer these conditions more often than the people having normal weight.

Effects of Weight Loss on Gout

Losing weight is an extra-ordinarily beneficial measure in getting rid of gouty attacks. Advice regarding weight loss is a part of prescription for patients who are obese and have gout. Research has shown that coming to normal weight reduces chances of future attacks of gout to less than half and many patients get complete cure of this painful condition.

Weight loss is not an easy way in people who are morbidly obese. People who have BMI more than 40 less often respond to conventional weight loss measures like dieting and exercise. For those who have severe obesity the only effective way of coming to normal weight is bariatric surgery. Bariatric or weight loss surgery has a number of procedures which reduce weight in matter of weeks. The only thing that should be kept in mind is that for this important surgery only dedicated bariatric surgery hospital should be selected to get maximum benefits of surgery with safety.

You might ask, are obesity and depression related to each other? This is the proverbial chicken and egg scenario of which comes first. People who are morbidly obese or overweight often suffer from depression and low self esteem. Depressed people often become obese as time goes by, because depression by nature tends to make your be less active, less social and feed emotional problems with high calorie, high carbohydrate foods.

With various researchers, these obesity and depression have been found to be closely related to each other by the virtue of the chain reaction effect. The connection is quite simple, and functions on two very basic and logical levels. The first connection level between obesity and depression happens when a person truly becomes obese because of being depressed over time. A good example would be as we mentioned before “emotional eating”, to take away that feeling of emptiness or loneliness, or sometimes even to get rid of the stress that’s been bothering him/her. When a person gets accustomed to this, it will in time become a bad habit, which could be very hard to break. The person can’t stop eating because it’s the only way to make he/she feel better. To add to that, as the person gets deeply depressed, the more comfort he/she will need, therefore this will lead to the person consuming more food. This is a chain reaction that is hard to ignore, with the fact that one condition leads to the other condition which can turn out to more serious than it appears.

Secondly, the reaction can also begin the other way around. It is generally known that it is usual for obese people to feel depressed because of their weight. Feeling inadequate because of the inability to control the gnawing hunger some feel, unable to improve their current health and obesity compels overweight people to feel more depressed.

Bottom line is, a person can potentially become obese with overeating due to depression and obese people can become depressed because of how they look, coupled with how other people treat them. When you’re obese, discrimination is still alive and well in the U.S. and practiced regularly in business, schools – everywhere. The common assumption is obese or overweight people are lazy, unmotivated, lack will power and are generally substandard. This can make life very difficult, especially if you do not have emotional support available. It helps when you have friends or your family members that can see the real you and encourage you to stand up and do something to resolve your dilemma.

Why do we need to ask, “How is depression related to obesity?” It is important that we ask this question, to be able to observe the consequences and relationship between depression and obesity. Once we understand the symbiotic relationship between these two entities it becomes clear that once the obesity issue is resolved, the depression will also be resolved and vice versa. With this understanding it becomes clear that weight loss surgery is indeed indicated for obese and overweight individuals in order to reclaim their lives and lessen their depression.

Weight loss surgery can prevent certain future health risks from obesity and also lessen medications needed to control depression. Weight loss surgery gives an obese person a chance to be back in control of their life and minimize depression and low self esteem issues.

According to Dutch researchers, they have found out that there is truly a corresponding link between obesity and depression. Their factual compiled data suggests that being obese can escalate the chances of depression in people who are initially not depressed by 55 percent. Depression on the other hand, can increase the chance of being obese by 58 percent to people who previously had a normal weight. It was notably stated that they carried out the analysis not to find out if a certain person has a risk for obesity with depression, but they found the connection anyway. In addition to that the “National Institute of Mental Health” discovered that in about four cases of obesity, one of it is related to depression or an anxiety or mood disorder. These facts can be found on the NIHM website which significantly correlates with other findings from various studies that shows the increasing rate of obesity in the US, to be tied up with the increase of depression as well as other psychological problems mostly involving the person’s self esteem.

The current compelling findings came from 15 strategically gathered studies that were published. They were all trying to decode the connection between depression and obesity. These studies were inclusive of more than 58,000 people who utilized tools like the BMI or body mass index to measure the how overweight or underweight a person is. For more information, an average American with a BMI of 25 and above can be considered as overweight, and American’s with a BMI of 30 or more are counted as obese. As stated by the Dutch researchers, obesity does not only aggravate the risk of having depression but it initiates the beginning of a clinical depression instead of just passing symptoms of depression.

Studies communicated in a recent copy of the “Archives of General Psychiatry” points out the verifiable truth that Europeans have lesser chances of being obese which leads to depression, compared to Americans. It also been discovered that an average European weighs less than an average American which gives more proof to the reality that Americans are more prone to being obese. To add to that, the more a person’s weight increases, the more he/she is prone to depression. Why is this possible? You might ask… Well, we all know the trend these days that being “thin” is “in”! This is the case, especially in the Western countries. So obviously, if you have weight issues, you are more likely considered to be unattractive. This could really do major damage to the self-esteem of a person. With low self-esteem, a person could find dissatisfaction to his/her body which would in turn lead to depression. There are also people who turn to food when they are feeling down, stuffing themselves with sweets and carbohydrates to fill-in the gap and empty feeling inside. If this is the habit of the person to find satisfaction even how transient it may be, then he/she is in danger of being obese.

We should not take this lightly? This is because both obesity and depression is a major concern which can greatly affect a person’s life. It is always essential to find a solution to the problem before it becomes an insurmountable problem. The team of Dutch researchers, advocates other health care professionals in the medical field to work together and share their knowledge in the different fields, to find a solution to the problem.

The most effective solution with our current advancements in medical technologies is, undergoing a surgery. If you are excessively overweight and are not able to lose any unwanted pounds by following a healthy diet and regular exercise, then surgery is the answer for you. To qualify for a surgery, men need to be at least 80 pounds and women need to be overweight by 65 pounds. If your weight does not meet these needed pounds, you can still undergo surgery if have diabetes, sleep apnea or a heart disease.

If you submit yourself for surgery and were successful, the primary reaction of the body will be limiting the amount of food the patient can take in. There are also other surgeries that will inhibit the amount of food your body can digest or absorb. Dramatic weight loss is generally experienced by patients who successfully undergo surgery. Following a healthy diet and exercise regimen will help keep depression and the unwanted pounds from coming back.

At a certain point in your life, have you ever felt being unhappy and miserable? That moment when you feel like you are at your lowest point and nothing is going right. Well, frankly speaking, you are suffering from what we call depression.

Depression refers to a mental state in which you are sad and you feel like you don’t enjoy anything that you do because you feel unpleasant or you are always not in the mood. This kind of mental state or illness is usually felt by people who are what we call obese. Obesity is a medical condition by which a person suffers excessive or abnormal fat accumulation that may bring adverse effect to that person’s health. In other words, obesity is having too much body fat and may put the person’s health into risk.

Based on recent studies, the issues about depression and obesity remain to be a major topic. The question becomes does obesity cause depression or is depression a result of obesity. One thing is certain, each one affects the other.

Where it is a known fact that there is a connection between obesity and depression, it is still unresolved on which condition comes first. An obese person is more likely to feel depressed for reasons such as being uncomfortable with their physical appearance and afraid of being bullied especially for those in the adolescent stage. Obese persons have the tendency to lose confidence and become more sensitive and vulnerable.

Depressed people tend to isolate themselves from others and are more comfortable being alone. They find comfort by eating and the craving for food is much higher than the usual. For some obese people, foods provide emotional comfort. When you are depressed there is not much motivation in you, you don’t have the energy to participate in activities and the tendency is to just become sedentary. This lack of physical activity contributes to weight gain; and once your body get used to poor eating habits and sedentary life style, you will not notice you are already considered obese.

Obesity and depression are a serious psychological illness and considered a primary health concern and must be given extra attention. Depression is usually treated by way of therapy and counselling. But with the case of obesity, there are a lot of ways to lose weight and shed off those extra pounds. Natural weight loss methods that can be used such as various fitness programs and diet programs fail 98% of the time. Only 2% manage to lose more than 20 pounds and keep it off for 5 years. Most often than not, natural weight loss methods work best for those people slightly overweight not for the obese. The difference between overweight and obese is that overweight is generally a common condition and can be treated by the usual diet and exercise while obese is a medical condition usually cause by genetics and inability to control diet. Obesity responds best surgical methods of restriction and reduction.

Speaking of weight loss by means of surgical method, there are several different surgical weight loss methods available and one of the most successful surgical procedures is the vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery. This is a weight loss procedure by which the size of the stomach is reduced through removal of a portion of the stomach. This method has indicated excellent long term results based on recent studies.

Obesity and depression are two interchangeable conditions and is recommended that people who are obese and at the same time suffering from depression must be treated at the same time.

In a world of instants, high cholesterol foods have become more available in the modern society. And as such, obesity has become a growing public health issue. Reports from the WHO in 2003 state that there were as much as 300 million obese adults worldwide, roughly about 60 million in the U.S alone. Obesity in itself is a disease and can lead to a whole spectrum of different diseases that is bound to shorten your lifespan. These staggering figures have directed people into finding better treatment modalities for obesity and even searching for a cure, if there is one.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is a term that refers to an extreme body proportion that favors weight more than height. By definition, adults need to have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of more than 30 kg/m2 to be considered obese. It these numbers, obese individuals have packed at least 30% more fat than people with normal BMI. These substantial amounts of body fat can lead to a variety of diseased states apart from the social stigma the goes with it.

Health Consequences

Researchers from the Center for Disease Control state that the risk of premature death rises with increasing weight. In fact, numbers would show that individuals who are 40% overweight are twice as likely to suffer from premature death compared to those with normal weight. These numbers are born from a multitude of diseases that accompanies obesity.

The following lists the common conditions faced by obese individuals:

• Heart Diseases
• Stroke
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Cancers
• Fatty Liver Disease
• Gallbladder problems
• Breathing problems
• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Arthritis

What causes Obesity?

Obesity is a multi-factorial condition that may be brought by genetics, poor lifestyle and a host of other factors the generally lead to a less active and more sedentary lifestyle. Contributing factors include:

An affinity for high caloric food. Because diets that are composed primarily of soft drinks, candies, desserts as well as other high-caloric fast foods can definitely speed up the occurrence of obesity. Psychological factors that make people eat more especially when they are physically or emotionally stressed. In these instances, the drive to eat is not stimulated by the body needing more energy but by the person’s need to find comfort in food. Age. Older people are less active and have lesser muscle mass that helps in metabolizing fat for energy. Weight gains associated with pregnancy. This is one of the more frequent causes of obesity in women. After pregnancy, women find it more difficult to shed off pounds gained during pregnancy. Having hormonal problems. Obesity’s rather uncommon cause is brought by problems in hormones that regulate the body’s metabolic rates. Alcohol consumption. Drinking more alcohol means more caloric intake. A bottle of beer translates into a total of 150 calories. And without cutting back on other sources of calories, drinking beer regularly can lead to an excessive weight gain.

Obesity Treatment Approaches

While proper diet and good exercise can definitely help in losing weight, lifestyle modifications alone may not be fast enough in overcoming the health risks that come with obesity. Because of this, health experts have developed two general approaches in combating obesity. Either it can be medical, which is the use of drugs that promote weight loss or surgical, which is the surgical restructuring of different parts of your gastrointestinal system. Between the two, surgery seems to be the better option in preventing obesity-associated diseases.

With a thousand obese subjects who have undergone any of the three surgical procedures (gastric banding, vertical banded gastroplasty or gastric bypass) along with the same number of controls, the study on Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) has one of the broadest scope in determining the effects of surgery for obesity. Results of the study show significantly reduced risks of having elevated insulin and triglyceride levels, lower incidence rates of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Its most significant result was the remarkable reduction in the number of deaths among surgically treated patients ranging from a 40% to a whopping 89% reduction in total mortality rates!

Then again, in the end, regardless of the cause and the treatment approach you decide to stick with, the ONLY way to protect yourself from obesity is through self-control, perseverance and a whole lot of DISCIPLINE.

Photo Credit: In the Food Line at Flickr

References:

Anne Collins (2007). Health Risks of Obesity; Available at: http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/risks-of-obesity.htm. Date retrieved: May 2, 2011

Haslam DW, James WP (2005). “Obesity”. Lancet366 (9492): 1197–209. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67483-1. PMID 16198769.

House of Commons (2004) Obesity. Third Report of Session 2003–04. Volume I. Report, together with formal minutes. Available at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmhealth/23/23.pdf. Date retrieved: May 2, 2011

Le Petit C, Berthelot, JM. Obesity: A Growing Issue; Available at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-618-m/2005003/pdf/4224882-eng.pdf. Date Retrieved: May 2, 2011

Meyers,L. (20011) Let Private Enterprise Solve Obesity Problem, Not Government. Available at: http://biggovernment.com/lmeyers/2011/04/30/let-private-enterprise-solve-obesity-problem-not-government/. Date retrieved: May 2, 2011

North Carolina Association for Biomedical Research (2007) Obesity. Issue Brief. Available at: http://www.aboutbioscience.org/pdfs/Obesity.pdf. Date retrieved: May 2, 2011

WebMD Medical Reference (2011) Weight Loss: Health Risks Associated With Obesity; Available at: http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/obesity-health-risks. Date Retrieved: May 2, 2011

Weight loss surgery is both complex and costly. While the choice for undergoing a weight loss surgery becomes an important medical choice, for many, it is a significant financial decision as well. Weight loss surgery costs an approximate amount of $17,000-$35,000.

The first thing an individual must inquire about with the cost is how much the entire procedure will cost from start to finish. Most weight loss surgery costs generally comprise the pre-op lab and X-ray fees, anesthesia, hospital facility and surgeon’s fee. However, it is still a wise move to ask what covers the estimated cost that has been laid out by the physician. When estimating the cost of the procedure, the individual must also consider the post-procedure costs which are additional expenses for the patient. Post-procedure costs includes dietary plans, a fitness regimen, behavioral modification, nutritional supplementation, body contouring to remove excess skin, lift sagging parts, and improve loose muscles or treat fat deposits. Since most weight loss surgeries are very complex, with more variables and recovery issues, costs can escalate quickly.

Bariatric (Weight Loss) Surgery Insurance Info

Because weight loss surgery can cost patients thousands of dollars, many insurance companies and financial lenders offer assistance to help make payment more manageable (View Weight Loss Surgery Financing Information).

It is important to review the existing policy or speak directly with the insurance company to determine if weight loss surgery is covered. Some insurance plans explicitly exclude obesity treatment, weight loss surgery and related care. Some health insurance providers, however, are beginning to cover some or all the costs of the surgery of obesity if medical necessity is established by the physician and if the patient’s condition meets the standards of the National Institute of Health requirements. If the surgery is covered by the patient’s HMO, the approval of the primary care physician would be the next step before seeking a bariatric surgeon. Upon consulting the specialists the approval process, which is a bit complicated than it is for other common medical procedure, begins. The insurance company will likely request for a letter of medical necessity from the physician and the bariatric surgeon and other documentation like patient records of doctor-supervised attempts to lose weight such as drug therapy and group therapy. Approval is also more likely if the physician and specialists show that the patient suffers from co-morbidities such as diabetes or heart disease. Basically, the physicians will convince the insurance company how the surgery improves the health and over-all well being of the patient. If the initial attempt to authorize coverage is denied, appeal for the decision can be made. A 30 to 60 day window from the date of denial is given for the appeal. After care insurance reimbursements for a dietician, psychologist, exercise program and nutritional supplements such as Vitamin B12 injections may be minimal, if covered at all. Convincing insurance companies that bariatric surgery is medically necessary is likely to be the biggest hurdle patient’s face. It is important that patients understand the insurance approval process and play an active role in pursuing coverage for the cost of bariatric surgery.

Many patients have also opted to do the weight loss surgery outside of the United States because of the lower price offered there. These lower costs are usually a result of having lower overhead costs. However, when searching for a bariatric surgeon, it should not be just about finding the lowest price. One must also consider that the surgeon is experienced and licensed to do the procedure. Whether the insurance company allows coverage of the surgery outside should be taken into consideration as well. The total cost is more than just the cost of the surgery. When considering surgery overseas, in addition for travel cost for the patient and at least one companion as recommended, pre-op tests and additional follow up care may become added load to the total cost. Therefore, it is very important to take a closer look towards the details of the cost.

Weight loss surgeries are not inexpensive to say the least. However, the money which goes into paying for this type of surgery is being put into good use if it improves the individual’s health and quality of life. The surgery is very costly in more ways than just money as well. More important than the financial issues, is the amount of dedication the patient exerts into losing weight and having a better health. Financial problems are easier to solve with the help of insurances and lending institutions, however dedication for success of the procedure is within the hands of the patient, the physician, psychologist or nutritionist cannot help when it comes to that.

It an effort to help shrink the waistbands of local residents, the city of Southern Los Angeles is banning fast-food. Last month city council in South Los Angeles, California passed regulation that banned new fast food restaurants from opening in the area.

The council claims that part of the reason for the ban is that: more than 30% of residents are obese in the area. This ban is specifically aimed at National and large stand-alone fast-food joints in the city. There are nearly 1000 fast-food restaurants in 30 square miles covering the region.

Is this the option to curb obesity in America? It it seems that it is a start. But with so many fast-food restaurants in that close of a vicinity, the health benefits that will ensue is just a drop in the bucket. Many people will need to change their lifestyles, and adopt healthier habits.

There are issues with a ban like this, but I think they are minimized by the fact that there is another McDonalds, KFC and Taco Bell down the street. The constant attention that the residents must be see is of concern, though. With all those fast food companies vying for their wallets, it is probably harder to eat healthy.

It would like to also see new regulation that supports opening of new healthier food chains and grocery stores; maybe subsides are the answer. Or tax incentives to start selling green food, where fries once prevailed.

The decision came down unanimously to block the fast-food restaurant, which is a good sign for governmental support of making U.S. healthier.