Obesity is a condition that affects one in every three adults in this country. While there are many factors that can contribute to obesity, the treatment will generally consist of weight loss from one method or another. Most doctors will begin obesity treatment with a diet and exercise program, and counseling when necessary. If these methods are not effective at reducing the pounds, or if the condition is extremely severe with accompanying health issues, a doctor may recommend obesity surgery as a treatment. The result of obesity surgery is generally rapid and dramatic weight loss, with up to 50 percent of the excess weight lost in the first year or two after surgery. If the obesity surgery is performed in tandem with diet and exercise counseling, the long term results can be excellent as well.

Types of Obesity Surgery
There are two basic types of obesity surgery that a doctor can perform. The first consists of surgery within the stomach, and is called vertical banded gastroplasty. In this procedure, the stomach is stapled to divide it into two areas: a smaller upper pouch where food will enter the stomach; and a larger pouch below, where food will come in through a dime-sized opening from the upper pouch. The idea behind this procedure is to limit the amount of food that enters the stomach. It also keeps food in the upper pouch of the stomach for longer periods of time, allowing the patient to feel full longer and consequently eat less. The success rate for this type of obesity surgery is high, since up to 80% of patients will lose weight, and about 30% will reach their optimum weight loss goal.

The other common type of obesity surgery is called a gastric bypass. This procedure combines the effects of limiting the amount of food into the stomach with the addition of a bypass from the stomach to a lower part of the small intestine. This bypass effectively reduces the number of calories in food that are absorbed into the body, since the area of the digestive system that is responsible for this absorption is largely missed. The results of a bypass surgery are even better than the gastroplasty, since the two procedures are combined for maximum effect. Not only does the patient take in less food, his body ends up absorbing fewer calories without harming the overall effectiveness of the digestive system.

While these obesity surgeries can boast a high success rate with many patients, there are side effects of either procedure to consider. Keep in mind that any type of surgery carries risks such as blood clots and infection. Overeating after one of these procedures can lead to nausea and other symptoms, especially in the early stages after the surgery is complete. If you think that you might be a candidate for obesity surgery, it is important to talk to your doctor about which procedure might be the best for you.