Dameron Hospital | Health Outlook | Fall 2019

12 HEALTH OUTLOOK OBESITY is a chronic disease that can seriously affect your health. It is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S. The good news is that it is preventable, but it will require you to make some healthier lifestyle choices. Have you struggled to maintain a healthy weight? Dameron Hospital has options that may help. Overweight or obese? In simple terms, being overweight means that you have extra body weight, whereas obesity means you have a higher amount of excess body fat. Either way, being overweight or obese raises your risk for health problems. These include coronary heart disease, asthma, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and certain types of cancer. When someone is 20 or 30 pounds overweight, diet and exercise are prescribed and can work exceptionally well. However, for people who are 60 pounds or more overweight for their height, the most effective strategy to beating obesity is likely bariatric surgery. JOIN US FOR A SEMINAR To learn more about our Bariatric Weight Loss Surgery Program, and sign up for our next seminar, visit the Dameron Hospital website at dameronhospital.org/weightloss . Weigh your options Don’t let your weight harm your health and reduce your quality of life Find out your body mass index (BMI) Doctors use BMI to screen and diagnose whether a person is overweight or obese. It is calculated by dividing a person’s weight by the square of their height. For example, a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 in adults is considered ideal, whereas a BMI of more than 25 is considered overweight. A person is considered obese if their BMI is greater than 30 and morbidly obese if the BMI is 40 or greater. BMI Category Health risk Suggested treatment 18.5 to 24.9 Healthy weight None None 25 to 29.9 Overweight Moderate Diet and exercise 30 to 39.9 Moderately obese High Doctor-prescribed diet plan 40 or above Severely obese Very high Bariatric surgery When coupled with dietary changes and physical exercise, many overweight people can lose their excess weight over time. Obese people, on the other hand, have more challenges and face other chronic diseases as a result of the extra weight that may warrant physician intervention. Obesity = chronic disease Obesity is more damaging to your health than smoking and drinking high levels of alcohol combined, and it can affect all major bodily systems, including the heart, lungs, muscles and bones. Some people think that people with obesity lack willpower and discipline when it comes to their eating and exercise habits; however, it’s important to keep in mind that obesity is a chronic disease that requires a range of interventions and medical management. Obesity cannot be brushed aside as a ‘cosmetic problem.’ It is, in fact, a medical condition with severe consequences to one’s health. The science behind it is quite complicated and involves environmental, genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components. Tarig Samarkandy, MD, Bariatric Surgeon