The Obesity Epidemic – Do You Qualify for Weight Loss Surgery?

In Canada, an astounding 23% of adults have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more and are classified as obese. This is a concern because obesity is a leading contributor to a variety of health problems which affect quality of life, reduce productivity and result in premature death. Furthermore, this is a major burden on our healthcare system.

Use our BMI calculator to calculate your body mass index and see if you qualify for obesity weight loss surgery.

Although there are many factors that contribute to this obesity epidemic, three are fairly common…
 

• Oversize portions
• Unhealthy foods
• Not enough exercise

Whatever the reasons for excessive weight, the result is a nation in which almost a quarter of the adults are dangerously overweight and unhealthy.

Dangers of Obesity

Obesity is a major risk factor for serious medical conditions (co-morbidities). These include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Cancer
• Hypertension
• Sleep apnea
• Respiratory problems
• Osteoarthritis
• Joint problems
• Infertility

Why are people obese?

• The human body is unable to deal with over eating and inactivity: Our body is not designed for a sedentary lifestyle or eating extra food. On the contrary, it is equipped to handle hardship, food shortages and hard physical labour (that were common for all but the last hundred years of human history). Obesity is therefore a manifestation of the body’s difficulty in adjusting to an overabundance of food and under activity.
• Inability to maintain the right balance: To lose weight and keep it off, you have to change the balance between what you take in and the energy you expend. But you already know that. Most overweight individuals have lost and regained weight many times over with various calorie reduced diets.  Weight loss surgery has been proven as an effective tool to maintain your weight loss long term.  
• Slowing metabolism: Losing and gaining weight over and over again actually makes it harder to keep it off because it slows down your metabolism. Why? Your body is using its “hardship mechanisms” to fight deprivation by slowing down how fast you burn calories, and getting better and better at storing fat.
• Discouraged by failed attempts: Your body isn’t the only part of you that is being affected by years of dieting. Your self-esteem also has to deal with the emotional burden of repeated failure. This could result in your giving up any attempts at reducing your excess weight.

So what are your weight loss options when every diet, program and drug you’ve tried has failed?

An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (April 10, 2007) recommends bariatric or weight loss surgery (such as Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding) as an acceptable option for people with a high body mass index, who have tried all other conventional weight loss methods and failed.

Credit Valley Clinic offers laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding for overweight individuals who are looking for long lasting results and who are committed to adjusting their lifestyle once and for all. We have served patients all over Ontario and the GTA, including in Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Kitchener and Cambridge.

Not only do we perform gastric lap band surgery, but our clinic also offers important additional services such as

• nutritional counselling
• psychological courses
• exercise programs and
• support group sessions which will help you make this permanent change and keep the weight off for the long term.

If you are a candidate for obesity weight loss surgery, book a free consultation or call us for more information.