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Frequently Asked Questions
What is bariatrics?
Bariatrics is the discipline involving the study and treatment of obesity.
What is obesity?
Obesity is an excess amount of body fat. It is often defined by the body mass index (BMI), which is a measure of a person’s height and weight. The index is used by healthcare professionals to define obesity, since studies find that BMI correlates to the amount of fat a person has. This is true for most people, but not all. BMI measurements for athletes, pregnant women and the elderly do not follow these guidelines. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal size: 25 to 29.9 is overweight; 30 to 24.9 is Class I or moderate obesity; 35 to 39.9 is Class II or serious obesity; and a BMI of 40 or higher is Class III or clinically severe obesity (sometimes also known as morbid obesity).
What causes obesity?
Obesity is caused by a number of factors. These include:
- Excessive calorie intake
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Chronic sleep loss
- Modern agriculture techniques
- Processed foods
- Trans fats
- High fructose corn syrup
- Specific types of pesticides and pollutants
- Stress and emotional distress
- Drugs and certain medications
Weight gain can also lead to obesity by causing biological changes to occur in the body that make us more susceptible to fat accumulation and further weight gain.
What are the consequences of obesity?
Obesity reduces your longevity, primarily because of additional health problems that can occur because of it. These include: type II diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and vascular disease, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, acid reflux disease, gastritis and other gastrointestinal disorders, asthma and other respiratory conditions, a weakened immune system, oxidative stress, intracranial hypertension, back problems, infertility, urinary stress incontinence, depression, anxiety and more.
What is clinically severe obesity?
Obesity becomes “morbid” when it reaches the point where it significantly increases the risk of one or more obesity-related health conditions to occur, which can lead to physical disability or even death.
What is the treatment for clinically severe obesity?
Individuals who have severe or morbid obesity are generally resistant to long-term weight loss using conventional means, such as a diet, behavior modification, exercise or pharmaceuticals. According to world-renowned obesity experts, the only long-term treatment for severe obesity is weight loss surgery.
Am I a candidate for bariatric surgery?
You may be a candidate for bariatric surgery if you:
- Are 100 pounds or more overweight
- Have a BMI of 40
- Have a BMI of 35 plus two or more obesity co-morbidities (such as Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, heart disease, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease)
- Are unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically supervised dieting
Is there another treatment option for those who don’t qualify for surgery?
Florida Hospital Celebration Health offers several outstanding options for those who don’t need bariatric surgery. Our weight management team includes a nutritionist, exercise physiologist, psychologist, spiritual healthcare advisor, research educator and social worker. These professionals can develop a customized weight management program for you that offers maximum weight loss success combined with long-term maintenance that improves your health and keeps the weight off long term.
What are the different types of bariatric procedures?
Bariatric surgery options include:
- Restrictive surgeries that produce weight loss by reducing the amount of food the stomach can hold. Restrictive surgeries are:
- Restrictive plus malabsorptive surgery causes massive weight loss by restricting the amount of food that the stomach can hold and also by reducing the digestion and absorption of food. The Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is a bariatric surgery procedure that is both restrictive and malabsorptive.
Which types of weight loss surgery are performed at the Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Institute?
We offer three procedures. These procedures are performed laparoscopically adjustable gastric band, the gastric sleeve and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which is performed robotically using the daVinci system.
Why should I consider surgery at the Metabolic Medicine and Surgery Institute at Florida Hospital Celebration Health?
Our program is one of the few centers to be designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the only one in Central Florida. We are also the first and only bariatric program in Central Florida to receive the Gold Seal of Approval in healthcare. We have performed thousands of successful bariatric surgeries that have been complemented with a full range of lifestyle and lifelong bariatric support programs, from ongoing education to customized exercise and nutrition programs designed by some of the leaders in bariatric medicine. Our multidisciplinary team works together to ensure you have the greatest chance of success in changing your life through weight loss surgery and weight management.
What are the benefits of surgery?
Bariatric surgery can lead to massive weight loss. Long term, you can expect to lose a minimum of 50% of the excess weight and often much more. Along with increasing your lifespan, you’ll find that your chances of serious complications such as diabetes, heart disease, vascular disease, lipid abnormalities, blood pressure, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders, asthma, fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, back pain, intracranial hypertension, urinary stress incontinence, GERD and other GI disorders, the risk for cancer, fertility, depression and anxiety are greatly reduced because of your surgery and corresponding weight loss.
Will my insurance cover bariatric surgery?
All insurance coverage is different, so this depends on your individual insurance plan. We will ask you to bring your Photo ID and Insurance Card to one of our FREE Bariatric Information Sessions. This will allow our Insurance Coordinator to review your insurance plan and assess your coverage before any surgery is scheduled.
What kind of foods can I eat after surgery?
Most people who have had a gastric sleeve or adjustable gastric band procedure can eat all the foods they enjoyed before the surgery, but in smaller portions. With gastric bypass, some individuals will experience what is commonly known as “Dumping Syndrome” which causes extreme discomfort when you consume food or beverages that are high in sugar. As such, you’ll want to avoid these in your diet.
Will I ever gain weight after surgery?
There are many factors at play with obesity. The disease itself can cause biological changes within your body that can make you more susceptible to weight regain. However, it is extremely rare for you to regain all the weight you lost and with proper nutrition and lifestyle changes, you should be able to keep your weight off for a lifetime if you have the desire and motivation.
