Weight Loss Surgery in Maryland:

A specter is haunting the Old Line State: obesity. Today, some 60% of Maryland's adults are overweight or obese -- and the obesity-attributable medical costs for Maryland adults are over $1.5 billion every year.

Obesity is a disease characterized by weight in excess of a healthy norm. It often brings with it diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and hypertension.
Obesity in Maryland is epidemic - the most serious threat to public health currently extant.

Our Struggle

Losing excess weight can be a struggle, but obesity is more than just a matter of being fat. Losing excess weight is fine, but it's only part of the battle. Obesity is a disease of both body and mind. To effectively treat this disease, weight loss must come from a total realignment of the patient's relationship to food. For many, a medically-supervised program of diet and exercise is enough to put them on the road to recovery. For some, however, this is not enough.

Fortunately, another option exists: weight loss surgery. Surgical weight loss - also known as bariatric surgery -- has been proven to help ease obesity-related health problems for individual who are obese. It can also help those with obesity-related disorders, and can lessen their chances of developing weight-related health problems in the future.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery procedures are intended to counter a patient's obesity by limiting the amount of food - and thus calories - that her or she can consume. These procedures are performed under general anesthesia, usually laparoscopically. The three main types of weight loss surgery - malabsorptive, restrictive and combination - each pose different risks and benefits.

Weight loss surgery can be a true lifesaver, if the patient is willing to adopt comprehensive changes in diet and lifestyle along with the surgery as part of a total health-improvement plan. Patients who fail to follow postoperative instructions or who refuse to alter their unhealthy lifestyles will almost certainly regain over time the weight they initially lost.

Weight loss surgery is no magic bullet, but it can be an option for Marylanders who are plagued by severe obesity and/or related disorders. If you're a candidate, talk it over with your doctor and see if weight loss surgery is the best option in your case.