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Is It Time for Bariatric Surgery?

If you’re considering bariatric surgery, understanding the pros and cons of surgical weight loss can help make your decision easier.

For many individuals who are struggling to lose weight and haven’t had success through diet, exercise or medically assisted weight-loss programs, bariatric surgery may hold the key to reclaiming an active, healthy lifestyle. Not only does bariatric surgery aid weight loss, but it also plays an important role in managing obesityrelated diseases, including diabetes, sleep apnea and heart disease.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ Weight-Control Information Network, you may be a candidate for weight-loss surgery if:

You have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher
You have a BMI of 35 or higher and a weight-related complication, such as diabetes
You are considering an adjustable gastric banding procedure, have a BMI of 30 or higher, and have a serious weight-related illness

Considerations

While the risks of severe surgical complications are low, most bariatric surgeries require alteration of the stomach and intestines, so the decision to have surgery shouldn’t be taken lightly. To achieve benefits and avoid complications, you will no longer be able to comfortably eat large meals, and you may need to follow a specific diet or take vitamin supplements. For many, however, the benefits of surgery outweigh these potential consequences.

The 4 Types of Weight-loss Surgery

Learn more about the different types of bariatric surgery to determine which procedure might be right for you.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is considered the gold standard for weight-loss surgery, with individuals typically achieving 60 to 80 percent of their weight-loss goals. During this procedure, doctors surgically alter both the size of the stomach and the route food travels during digestion, limiting the amount of food you can eat at each meal and the calories and nutrients your body absorbs from food.
During an adjustable gastric banding procedure, doctors place a band around the upper portion of your stomach to make it smaller, which helps you feel fuller faster, according to the National Institutes of Health. Gastric banding is the least invasive weight-loss surgery, but individuals typically lose less weight.
During a vertical sleeve gastrectomy procedure, surgeons restrict food intake by removing approximately 80 percent of your stomach.
Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch boasts the highest weight-loss results, but also has the highest risk of complications, including vitamin deficiency. Following this procedure, the body absorbs 70 percent fewer fat molecules from food because food bypasses three-fourths of your small intestine and a large portion of your small bowel during digestion, according to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.

The first bariatric surgery was performed in 1954 when Dr. A.J. Kremen realized that surgical removal of a portion of the stomach or intestines, typically used for cancer or ulcer treatment, resulted in significant weight loss.
An estimated 113,000 Americans turn to bariatric surgery each year for safe, effective weight loss.
An April 2014 study published in Obesity Surgery revealed that bariatric surgery might alter foods’ taste and smell. According to the study, which included 103 patients who had a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 97 percent of individuals had less appetite, 42 percent said foods smelled differently and 73 percent reported that many foods, including meats, chocolate and fatty foods, tasted differently after the procedure.