|  | Conditions Treatments | Obesity

Weight-Loss Options for the Morbidly Obese

Morbid obesity is clinically defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more as calculated by the formula weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared multiplied by 704.5. In layman's terms, a person who is 100 pounds heavier than her ideal weight is considered morbidly obese. Diet and exercise typically will not be enough to alleviate this problem. Currently, the most effective treatment for morbid obesity is surgery.

  1. Medical Evaluation

    • See your doctor and get a thorough medical evaluation. Morbid obesity appears to have a genetic component associated with it that may dictate appropriate treatment, but that can only be determined by your doctor. You doctor will be able to counsel you regarding lifestyle changes and diet choices that are most appropriate for your situation. Your doctor also will be able to tell you whether you are healthy enough to begin an exercise program.

    Non-Surgical Treatment

    • Implement appropriate lifestyle changes that may include specific exercises to help burn calories and increase muscle strength, a low-calorie diet that in most cases should not go below 1,500 calories per day and pharmacological therapy that may include appetite suppressants. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of morbidly obese patients who achieve significant weight loss through non-surgical means maintain their weight loss for more than one year.

    Surgery

    • Consider the benefits versus the risks of bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for morbid obesity. There are two basic types of bariatric surgery: restrictive procedures (gastric banding, popularly known as a lap-band procedure, and vertical-banded gastroplasty, sometimes referred to as stomach stapling) and malabsorptive techniques. These procedures are designed to restrict the amount of food you can consume and to restrict the amount of calories that can be absorbed by your intestines. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a gastric-bypass procedure, which is a combination of these basic types of bariatric surgery. You should carefully weight the risks of bariatric surgery because while these procedures are quite effective, the mortality rate is approximately 1 percent.

Obesity - Related Articles