Bariatric Surgery Can Break Obesity Cycle

[MsJacquiiC]

Obesity is a condition that often follows family lines, but bariatric surgery offers hope for breaking this generational pattern.

Patients who are most successful after bariatric surgery must adapt to healthy diet and exercise, and many times this new lifestyle will rub off on family members, resulting in a healthier family unit.

"Bariatric surgery is part of a transformational lifestyle change," said Christopher Still, D.O., director of the Geisinger Center for Nutrition and Weight Management. "Patients who are most successful after bariatric surgery must adapt to healthy diet and exercise, and many times this new lifestyle will rub off on family members, resulting in a healthier family unit."

While genetics can play a role in obesity, other familial factors can be major contributors to this health issue, said Dr. Still. A 2008 study in the American Journal of Sociology concluded that a family's lifestyle has a major impact on whether teenagers will end up overweight, and according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a person's environment and behavior play a large role in obesity.

"Oftentimes, obesity is caused by preventable factors such as poor eating habits or a lack of physical activity," said Dr. Still. "These tendencies are strongly influenced by the people around us. After bariatric surgery, a patient who begins exercising and eating healthier can impart new, healthy habits on their family and help break unhealthy behaviors and ultimately obesity."

Evidence has also shown that women who undergo bariatric surgery before becoming pregnant are less likely to have children that become obese. According to a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the intrauterine environment is crucial in a child's development, and after bariatric surgery, a woman's uterus is less likely to contain substances within the amniotic fluid that can contribute to a child's likelihood of becoming obese.

The study observed 49 mothers who had children both before and after surgery, as well as their 111 children, who were between the ages of 2.5 and 25. Children born after the mother's weight loss surgery had lower birth weights and were three times less likely to become obese than children born before the mother's surgery. Children born after surgery also had better blood sugar resistance and lower cholesterol.

"Bariatric surgery has effects far beyond simply helping a patient lose weight, and some of the changes in their bodies can be life-altering," Dr. Still said. "The changes that women go through can lessen the likelihood that they have a child who will become obese, presenting another way that bariatric surgery can help break the cycle of obesity."



Geisinger Health System
Source

Bariatrics The branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment of obesity. The term bariatrics was created around 1965, from the Greek root baro ("weight," as in barometer), suffix -iatr ("treatment," as in pediatrics), and suffix -ic ("pertaining to"). Besides the pharmacotherapy of obesity, it is concerned with obesity surgery.

Obesity Obesity results from the excessive accumulation of fat that exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. Obesity has been defined as a weight more than 20% above what is considered normal according to standard age, height, and weight tables, or by a complex formula known as the body mass index. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase in 20 percent or more above your ideal body weight is the point at which excess weight becomes a health risk. CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!

Cholesterol A fat-like substance that is made by the body and is found naturally in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Foods high in cholesterol include organ meats, egg yolks, and dairy fats. Cholesterol is needed to carry out functions such as hormone and vitamin production. When cholesterol levels are too high, some of the cholesterol is deposited on the walls of the blood vessels. Over time, the deposits can build up and cause the blood vessels to narrow and blood flow to decrease. Total blood cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dl are considered high. Levels between 200 and 239 mg/dl are considered borderline high. Levels under 200 mg/dl are considered desirable.

Metabolism All of the processes that occur in the body that turn the food you eat into energy your body can use. Exercise, food, and environmental temperature influence metabolism.

Overweight It is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9. Body weight comes from fat, muscle, bone, and body water. It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as over their ideal body weight even though they do not have excess body fat. CLICK HERE TO OPEN THE JOURNEY BMI CALCULATOR!