Welcome to Obesity Guide
Obesity Surgery Information Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Thinking About Obesity in America
from:Why is obesity in America a particular concern for those in the medical field? Don’t they know that, in the past, some people saw plumpness as attractive? Obesity, in some cultures, was also connected to fertility in females. Even today, many societies around the world see a larger, well-fed person as a symbol of financial success.
While plumpness and being well fed may indeed be an indication of the economic success of American culture, they are increasingly seen as signs of obesity in America. As most people now know, obesity can negatively affect health. The World Health Organization notes that a person is obese if there is accumulation of fatty tissue more than two times the standard. Having these guidelines can help individuals and medical personnel deal with this growing health risk. With this in mind, how do we stack up when it comes to measuring obesity in America?
First, we have to understand what obesity really is. The dictionary definition of obesity states that it is simply “increased body weight due to excessive accumulation of fat.” Humans and other mammals must have a natural energy reserve stored in the fatty tissue. However, this condition can increase to the point where it becomes a health concern. Basically, we need a certain amount of fat as stored energy and for insulating the body. But too much fat can lead to serious health problems.
According to many doctors and medical studies, obesity in America has become an epidemic. Researchers have shown that, by World Health Organization standards, America is home to the most obese people in the world. For instance, the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta report that obesity in America has increased to include 60 percent of the population (in the last 20 years). Another report shows that a minimum of one person in three across the country has far too much fatty tissue in their body. Other studies indicate that more than 60 percent of the American population is obese, compared to 40 percent in 1987.
Studies have also indicated that obesity in America contributes to almost as many deaths each year as tobacco use does. Certain types of diabetes associated with obesity have increased dramatically. This fact has led many in Congress and in state legislatures to try and address the problem through legislation. For example, some states are considering heavy taxes on such items as soft drinks and candy, as well as on activities associated with consumption of sweets and starches – movie tickets, video games etc.
But others in the medical field insist that obesity in America can only be dealt with successfully if individuals and families change their diet and their exercise habits. For these medical experts, reducing the level of obesity in America begins at home.
Obesity Surgery Information News
Severe Obesity Linked to Increased Risks of Spinal Surgery
Patients with morbid obesity are at nearly twice the risk of developing complications after spinal fusion surgery, reports a study in the May 15 issue of Spine. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
Read more...Tonight at 10: Obesity Surgery for Children
Obese Children. Experts call it the tobacco of this generation. It is an epidemic. The two surgeries children are having that are usually done on adults. Judy Maggio reports tonight on KEYE TV News at 10. ...
Read more...L.A. Bariatrics' New Weight-Loss Surgery Procedure Growing in Popularity in Los Angeles
After performing over 20 plicated band procedures at L.A. Bariatrics, the bariatric team at Marina Del Rey Hospital reflects on current success — and plans for more.Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 21, 2012 Obese patients have used gastric bypass and lap band surgeries as tools for safe, effective weight loss for over two decades. But the medical community is constantly developing new options to ...
Read more...Moveable Magnets Used to Forge Gastric Bypass in Pigs
MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- In a scenario reminiscent of the film Fantastic Voyage, researchers have found a way to perform nearly surgery-free gastric bypass procedures in pigs using only a local anesthetic.
Read more...Research and Markets: Critical Care Management of the Obese Patient
Research and Markets has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Critical Care Manageme
Read more...Surgical removal of abdominal fat reduces skin cancer in mice
( Rutgers University ) In animal studies, Rutgers scientists have found that surgical removal of abdominal fat from mice fed a high-fat diet reduces the risk of ultraviolet-light induced skin cancer - the most prevalent cancer in the United States with more than two million new cases each year - by up to 80 percent.
Read more...Study suggests obese patients have more advanced, aggressive papillary thyroid cancer
( JAMA and Archives Journals ) A review of medical records of patients treated at an academic tertiary care center suggests that obese patients present to their physicians with more advanced stage and more aggressive forms of papillary thyroid cancer, according to a report published online first by Archives of Surgery, a JAMA Network publication.
Read more...