An Introduction to Gastric Bypass Surgery

Obesity, once seen as akin to laziness and overeating, is now understood as a complex disorder having to do with genetics and hormonal as well as lifestyle factors.  People seem to have very different energy requirements; some can eat half as much as others and weigh the same.

By some estimates, as many as 20% of Americans are obese with 6-10% classified as morbidly obese (having a body mass index of 40 or greater, or being more than 100 pounds overweight), a health problem with severe consequences that can include hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis, breast and colon cancer, psychosocial problems, and more.

As obesity becomes more recognized as a national problem, more and more treatment options are becoming available when simple dieting and increased exercise do not work.  One of these treatments is Gastric Bypass Surgery, a form of bariatric surgery, which gets its name from the Greek words for