As more benefits of bariatric (weight loss) surgery becomes aware in the public’s eye, many are urging insurance companies to cover weight loss surgery. There have been numerous studies showing that insurance companies can actually cut costs over the long run by offering bariatric surgeries to their patients.

Earlier last week, medical device manufacturer Allergan ( the maker of the Lap-Band Implant) is pushing the U.S. government and healthcare insurers to cover bariatric surgery costs.

“It’s all about reimbursements,” Allergan Chief Executive David Pyott told Reuters. The benefits of weight loss surgery, he added, “are not well understood by policy makers.” Read more: Fox News

This comes at a time when Lap-Band sales are flat, as other surgeries like Gastric Sleeve, Gastric Plication and RNY Gastric Bypass are all increasing in use. Currently many companies already offer some sort of coverage, and Virginia and Georgia have mandated that state-regulated insurers offer bariatric surgery — but employers are not required to buy that coverage.

Does insuring bariatric surgery for patients make since actuarially?

More and more insurance companies are opting to cover the surgery, some companies are covering the surgery without conditions, conditions even the NIH recommends.

Midwest Blue Cross/Blue Shield Plan and the Health Alliance Medical Plan in Southern Illinois and Iowa recently eliminated the requirement that a patient must have tried and failed to lose weight under the supervision of a physician before getting surgery.

A survey by Hewett Associates found that 44 percent of insurance plans with 5,000 or more employees do not cover weight loss surgery. The fact that more people are becoming aware about the health and financial benefits of weight loss surgery, I think insurance coverage for bariatric surgery will only increase.

Although, I think insurance coverage will increase, there are some companies, companies who have a high turnover or a low revenue-per-employee, which will never offer complete coverage. That being said, in the future if you’re working 40-hours per week at a stable company, there should be a strong chance you’ll get covered.

Photo Credit: Obesity and Computers by FBellon, on Flickr

Obesity is on rise all over the world due to changes in life style and dietary habits of the people. According to national health and nutrition examination surrey (NHANES) report 1999-200, 64 percent of the adult population in America is overweight and almost one third of the adults are obese (31% adults aged 20 years or older suffer from obesity). This is an alarming fact, moreover obesity is also affecting the pediatric age group; more and more children are getting obese.

The tremendous rise in obesity is also putting a lot of burden on the health system due to obesity related complications. Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular diseases are well-known complications of obesity now cancer of different organs of the body has been linked to obesity. There are solid evidences that obese people are at more risk of different types of cancers and most important among those are, colon cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer, pancreatic cancer and gall bladder cancer. According to an estimate 41000 new case of cancer in 2002 were due to obesity that shows that 3.2% all new cases of cancer are related to obesity.

Several studies published in world’s renowned journals declare obesity a risk factor for colon cancer. The exact mechanism how obesity increases the risk for colon cancer is not fully known. The most probable explanation seems to be insulin resistance which is especially more common in people who have abdominal obesity. Older people who are obese are particularly at higher risk of developing colon carcinoma and this risk increases with severity and duration of obesity.

In a research published in American journal of epidemiology, 12000 adults between the ages 55 to 69 years were followed for sixteen years at Maastricht University, Netherlands. During the study period, 2% of the cases developed colorectal carcinoma, tumors of the colon and rectum; mainly colon cancer. The lead researcher of this study: Laura Hughes, found that people who were obese or significantly overweight had 25% higher risk of developing colon cancer than people with normal weight. Moreover more central fat was a greater risk for colon cancer.

Colon cancer can be devastating for health and reduces life expectancy along with a lot of misery for the patient. Protection against colon cancer is possible through weight loss. The research shows that even 5 to 10 pounds loss of excess weight improves the chances of survival and coming to normal weight reduces the risk of colon cancer to minimum. It should be remembered that more advantage lies in losing weight as early as possible.

Losing weight and coming to normal weight is really a difficult task in severely obese people. The research shows that morbid obesity (BMI more than 40 or BMI 35 with some serious medical ailment) can only be managed effectively by weight loss surgery. Patients who have severe obesity should immediately contact a dedicated Bariatric surgery hospital for losing weight quickly and reducing their risk for colon cancer. It should also be memorized that safe Bariatric surgery is only performed at specialized Bariatric surgery hospitals which are renowned for their success and safety over the years. Patient should not commit a mistake in selecting a facility for Bariatric surgery. An apparently cheap surgery centre, not necessarily provide safe surgery and can result into serious complications.

Photo Credit: Células cancerígenas de cáncer de cuello by fotosinteresantes, on Flickr

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, followed 4,000 obese Swedish people who’ve undergone bariatric surgery. Between 1987 and 2001, the study found decreased number of cardiovascular deaths and lower incidence of cardiovascular events in obese adults.

This study isn’t alarming as there have been numerous reports highlighting the various health and psychological benefits of extreme weight loss. Currently type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and other disease, are said to be greatly minimized after bariatric surgery.

Decreased Cardiovascular Issues

The study found that obese people who decided not to undergo the weight loss surgery were found to suffer more cardiovascular issues including death. In Sweden 2,000 individuals who underwent the surgery and 2,000 individuals who opted against it, were followed.

This 14.7 year (average) study found that 199 who underwent bariatric surgery had their fisrt heart attack or stroke, with 28 deaths. The group who did not opt for the surgery, 234 people had their first heart attack or stroke, with 49 deaths.

When the researchers took into account the initial health differences between people who did and did not get surgery, they found that after the surgery, patients were about 30 percent less likely to have a first-time heart attack or stroke than non-surgery patients, and half as likely to die from one.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/01/05/fewer-heart-attacks-after-weight-loss-surgery/#ixzz1jCYeHOdQ

Although the study is promising, it doesn’t prove that that undergoing weight loss surgery will be beneficial to your cardiovascular health. That being said, it is pretty much confirmed by many bariatric surgeons and physicians that weight loss surgery does, without uncertainty, increase one’s lifespan.

We didn’t have access to see the study, but it would have been interesting to see what kind of exercise and dieting both groups did for the study. If there was an exercise component, a required component by almost all professionals today, did that have the biggest impact on this study’s findings?

Photo: Heart by jkavo, on Flickr

Hazards of obesity are countless which simply warrant weight loss in time to avoid long-term sequel of excess weight. A lot of research is underway to assess the effects of obesity on respiratory system of an individual. It is already known that patients who are obese suffer obstructive sleep apnea more frequently than people with normal weight. In the recent years, medical scientists have also disclosed a very important fact that obesity has strong relation with bronchial asthma.

Researchers have found that people who are obese are at greater risk of developing bronchial asthma as well as obese people with asthma have more severe disease than do people with normal weight.

A number of studies in this regard recognize obesity as a notorious risk factor in development and worsening of bronchial asthma. How obesity worsens asthma and how it does make a person more prone to develop asthma is a complicated process. Research shows that a number of factors are responsible for increasing risk and severity of asthma in obese people.

In a research published in the May 2005 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the scientists working for Physiology Program at the Harvard School of Public Health, elaborated factors which are thought to play key role in development and worsening of asthma in obesity. They described these factors as

In obesity lungs expand to lesser extent that reduces the size of breath. These factors play key role in narrowing the airways.

There is chronic low grade inflammation in obese people that originates from fat tissue. This systemic inflammation may affect smooth muscles present in the airway which result in airway hyper-responsiveness and narrowing.

Many hormones are also released from fat tissue in obese people. One of the important hormones called leptin is present in excess in obese people. Leptin is a pro-inflammatory hormone that is present in high concentration in asthmatic patients. This is an indirect evidence of more sever asthma in obese people.

Dont’ Let Bronchial Asthma Grab You For Whole Life!

Whatever mechanism is involved in causation of bronchial asthma in obesity, one thing is crystal clear that obesity is a declared risk factor for worsening and causing bronchial asthma. Severely obese or morbidly obese people are particularly more vulnerable to this worst effect of asthma. Also remember that once bronchial asthma grabs someone, it usually remain with that person for the rest of his life. Wisdom is hidden in losing weight in time to prevent this deadly complication of obesity.

If you are morbidly obese (body mass index above 40), hurry up to defeat bronchial asthma before it gains control over your airways. Remember the only effective way of losing weight in morbid obesity is bariatric surgery. More important to tell about bariatric surgery is that it is only safely performed at dedicated bariatric surgery hospitals. So chose a dedicated bariatric surgery hospital for your dreams of living healthier life to come true.

Photo Credit: Asthma Inhaler (Object) by Dottie Mae, on Flickr

Teens are outpacing adults. Teen obesity tripled from 1980 to 2008, while adults only doubled in the same time period. This increasing obesity from teenage to adulthood has caused many health professionals worried about the future health of the American’s citizens.

When teenagers are facing impending health diseases from their obesity, it’s extremely important to lose the weight. The benefits could be astronomical, a healthy self-esteam, confidence boosting, increased life-span, job opportunities, and more.

Weight Loss Surgery as an Important Tool

The increasing propensity to obtain type 2 diabetes, and other health problems have many individuals worried.  As many prominent health officials declaring weight-loss surgery has a useful tool in the fight against obesity, many insurance companies and many bariatric surgeons are not preforming the surgery on these individuals.

“There are so many factors in morbid obesity that we don’t completely understand—metabolics, genetics, behavior—we don’t have one effective diet or medication that works consistently,” Dr. Haggerty explains. “But it does come down to taking in fewer calories than you burn off. Bariatric surgery is simply a tool to help people lose significant weight and keep it off.” – Bariatric Surgery Among Important Weight Loss Tools

Mexico Medical Tourism may be the perfect option when insurance companies and surgeons fail to operate. Many bariatric surgeons in Mexico are willing to operate on individuals outside of the prescribed 18 to 65 range. They do so because it’s safe and because of wider ability to practice.

The United States has many health standards and procedures that have many surgeons scared to impose the NIH health standards. By traveling outside of the United States, you can see a bariatric surgeon willing to practice. Not all surgeons do though, it’s important to read reviews from bariatric surgeons and ask many questions.

There are 1,800 referrals for weight-loss surgery, which is plaguing the system in Nova Scotia, Canada. Many individuals face a 10 year wait to undergo weight-loss surgery. Some of patients on the list are in dire need to lose weight, while others may not be ready. Yet, with a wait this long, many people are feeling to need to lose weight quickly.

No more than ever, Canadians are fed up with the wait and are choosing to undergo the surgery without the help from the state.  However, people rarely have the $20,000 to $30,000 lying around to have the surgery in Canada. Yet, there are other options to undergo bariatric surgery – and one that is gaining increaed plublicity is Medical Tourism.

Medical tourism is when patients seeking medical treatments travel to another country to undergo some sort of medical treatment primarily to save money. Happening worldwide, this phenomena is being lead by Canada, United States, Germany, India, Mexico and China.

Mexico is especially noteworthy because of its close proximity to the United States and North America’s demand for low-cost bariatric surgeries. Today thousands of Americans are traveling to Mexico to undergo bariatric surgery.

This new urge of Canadians flocking to Mexico to bypass the long waits have bariatric surgeons like Dr. Ramos Kelly swapped with patients. Dr. Ramos Kelly, is a bariatric surgeon exclusively with aLighterMe and practices in Tijuana, Mexico. Convenient for patients looking for a quick excursion back to the United States. With over 6,000 bariatric surgeries under his belt, Dr. Ramos is considered one of the leaders in Mexico bariatric surgeries.

The time of healing and the long-term success after weight loss surgery greatly depends on the patient’s diet and exercise habits. After a weight loss surgery, religiously following the surgeon’s fitness and nutrition guidelines will help diminish the risks of complications and maximize the chances that the patient will be satisfied with the surgery’s outcome. The physicians also strongly recommend that the patient joins a weight loss surgery support group to be able to connect to other people who have gone through the same situation.

After a weight loss surgery, religiously following the surgeon’s fitness and nutrition guidelines will help diminish the risks of complications

The patient should be well aware of the drastic changes in their diet after a weight loss surgery. The stomach will be smaller than its usual size; therefore the amount of food that the patient can eat will be very limited. For the patient to be ensured of good health and proper nutrition, they must pay close attention to what type of food they eat. Certain foods that were tolerated before the surgery may now cause discomfort after the surgery. It’s substantial to discuss your diet with the nutritionist before and after the weight loss surgery, so you can be well prepared and educated as to what are the right kinds of food for you.

Exercise is a very important aspect to the patients’ long-term success after the surgery. He/she must be familiar and made himself/herself ready or conditioned before and after the surgery. The patients take in much less calories directly following the surgery, at times making the body reacts as if it were starving. In the body’s search for more energy, you can begin to burn more muscle instead of fat. To help prevent this, it is crucial to start exercising regularly whenever possible. This will alter the metabolism so that the body will be in-tuned to burn fat instead of the muscles. Exercising will also assist the patient to lose more weight than he/she can imagine a lot faster.

It is also substantial to start exercising for the patient to strengthen his/her heart. Whenever you start exerting yourself, your heart starts to pump oxygen-rich blood. Since the muscles will need oxygen-rich blood in order to contract, the stronger your heart gets, the stronger your muscles are too. Being able to exercise also helps the patients feel better about themselves. The patient will be a lot more energetic with their muscles and joints a lot less tense and more flexible. Success will be attainable with constant physical activity, but of course it’s important to check with your physician first to find out the suitable exercise that will fit your condition. You will start slowly with exercises that require fewer movements and will escalate as your body gets used to the exertion. A few examples are, brisk walking, walking up the stairs, or just simply doing jumping jacks.

After surgery, patients lose significant amount of weight, which can cause excess or loose skin on their, thighs, arms, midsection and their buttocks. They can get post-bariatric plastic surgery to help with this problem. This surgery is designed to make the skin tighter and to help the patient feel more at ease and confident with his/her appearance.

It is also very valuable to have or join a support group or a forum. The patient will need all the support and the feeling of not being alone after the surgery. Weight loss surgery requires a lot of lifestyle as well as behavioral changes that makes the patient feel overwhelmed at times. It’s always nice to hear that someone has been there before, and that person has overcome the sticky situation that he/she in going through right now. The patient will of course need the support his/her family, friends as well as health care professionals to help him/her get through the rough times.

Photo Credit: RUN Hills Pullover in action!

Fitter people are more likely to be hired. Beautiful people are more likely to be hired. And now, people who’ve undergone bariatric surgery are more likely to be hired. New study from the New York University Langone Medical Center suggests that getting bariatric may make economic sense.

The study followed 74 patients who had been unemployed at the time of bariatric surgery. 24% of these formerly obese patients had gotten jobs after the surgery, while only 9% found jobs in the control group. The control group was obese patients with similar demographic who came in for a consultation but did not get the surgery ( more than 85 percent of the patients studied were Latin American or African-American and 92 percent were women).

Getting a job, becoming healthy are part of reason why weight-loss surgery can pay for itself. But another consideration is time, most people looking long enough can find a job. But having bariatric surgery, according to this study, suggests that you’ll find a job a lot quicker than if one remained obese.

Getting a desirable job also follows this report, as patients shorten their time between employments are likely to find more desirable jobs. Studies have shown that employeers hate candidates who lack long employment gaps and people who are desperate for employment.

Getting surgery can help your career, even if you already have one. However biased this fact remains: employers tend to prefer thinner people. So becoming thin might help with career advancement .

As the list of benefits for weight-loss surgery continue to compile, patients have less and less reasons not to undergo it.

Source: Official U.S. Navy Imagery

Past studies have linked elderly people (people in their 70s) who are overweight with increased life expectancy. But a new study casts doubt on this popular statement.

New evidence does infact  correlate excess body fat to decreases in life expectancy. Men aged 75 or older had a 3.7 decrease in life expectancy if they were above 22.3 BMI, Women aged 75 or older had a 2.1 decrease in life expectancy if they were above 27.4 BMI.

Research author Pramil N. Singh, DrPH at School of Public Health at Loma Linda University, suggests that past studies were flawed. “Data from many past studies is problematic because only a single baseline measure of weight was taken, which does not account for weight changes or how weight changes affect life expectancy. Additionally, most past studies had mortality surveillance of fewer than 19 years, which analyses have shown to be an inadequate amount of time to study risks associated with weight,” explains Pramil N. Singh, DrPH.

“We had a unique opportunity to do 29 years of follow-up with a cohort that was also followed for mortality outcomes,” Dr. Singh said. “Across this long period of time, we had multiple measures of body weight, which provided a more accurate assessment.”

The study looked at 6,030 adults who never smoked and who were free of majorchronic diseases at enrollment. It then examined only those adults who maintained a stable weight. This was done in an effort to exclude individuals who, for example, were in the normal weight category because they experienced significant weight loss due to a disease. Therefore their death would not have been related to their normal weight, but rather to the disease that caused them to reach normal weight.

This study shows, equivocally, that all things being equal excess fat does decrease your life expectancy.

Losing Weight at an Older Age

People can lose weight at an older age through a combination of dieting and structured exercising. Elderly people also have the option to undergo bariatric surgery. Typically reserved for people under 65 year old, bariatric surgeons can operate on older if they are in healthy states.

Some bariatric surgeries like lap-band or sleeve plication, can result in big expected weight-loss in the first year. These bariatric surgeries are less invasive and can provide lower risks during and shortly after the surgery. It’s important to understand that if you want to lose weight at an older age, you should consult a physician before undergoing any diet or exercise regimen.

Source: Elderly People – sign on Warwick Road, Olton

The prevalence and the growing spread of teenage obesity is on the rise, and so is the interest in weight-loss surgery. Teenage weight-loss surgery has been increasing in rates  for years now, with only a handful of physicians taking on patients – sometimes as young as 14.

My contention is that for next decade the rates of teenage weight-loss surgeries is going to rise because bariatric surgeries acceptance, growing demand for weight loss surgeries and bariatric surgeons technical proficiency.

Most morbidly obese teenagers are not qualified candidates for bariatric surgery. Most bariatric physicians see bariatric surgery as the last resort” to losing weight. Yet sometimes physicians are willing to work on teens:  Dr. Gonzalez says, “The bottom line is that when these patients have reached 300 lbs and they’re adolescents and they have full bone maturity, they really act like adults.”

The second part that can lead to increase rates of bariatric surgeries on teens is the ongoing acceptance of bariatric surgery itself. With the increase demand in weight-loss surgeries,  phsyicians are using laparoscopic bariatric surgeries, which are gaining steam because of its advantages.

Laparoscopic bariatric surgeries, including laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, is a minimally invasive surgery that doesn’t leave one big scar, but a few small incisions. This benefit is likely to entice a lot more people, as the surgery is completely reversible.

Another aspect is that physicians are getting technically proficent in doing bariatric surgeries, which means they may be more comfortable preforming the surgery on both ends of the spectrum (18 minimum age and 65 maximum age, set by the NIH). Complications rates are going down across the board for various weight-loss surgeries, which should entice more patients to consider the surgery.

Overall, as teenagers feel the need to start fresh for college or life itself, the demand and thus the overall result will be more and more teens undergoing bariatric surgery. What are your thoughts on this trend? Do you feel teenage obesity warrants an extreme solution like bariatric surgery? Please comment below.

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