Category: Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric Alternatives to Avoid Surgery

We bring you the latest news and information related to bariatric weight loss surgery. Here is today's news:

Summary: In this new addition to our Q&A series, we will talk about bariatric surgery alternatives and how, in most cases, they are a superior alternative to actual surgery.

Do you have questions about bariatric surgery for weight loss? Hopefully, you do. Having questions is a sign that you are considering something carefully, and that’s exactly what you must do with bariatric weight-loss surgery … you must consider it carefully before making any decisions.

But what kinds of questions should you be asking? Well, we have assembled a list of about 20 of the most important questions about this subject, and in this blog series we are expanding on that article to look at each question in more detail.

This is the full article on the subject:
Surgery for Weight Loss - 21 Questions to Ask

So let’s tackle today’s questions about bariatric surgery procedures, which is…

What About Alternatives to Bariatric Surgery?

Once upon a time, weight loss surgery used to be strictly reserved for people who were morbidly obese — which meant it was a last resort for those who would otherwise die from their severe obesity.

Lately, however, it seems that weight loss surgery has become a trend. Consider the fact that the number of bariatric surgeries has increased tenfold in the last ten years! Did our population grow tenfold? Of course not. This number simply means that weight loss surgery is being used in more cases, even for people who are nowhere near the definition of morbid obesity, much less obesity in general.

Only in extremely rare cases is surgery the only option for weight loss. In the vast majority of cases, surgery is just one option out of many options. And it should be the option of last resort. In fact, nine times out of ten the bariatric surgery alternatives such as diet and exercise are the absolute best option for overweight individuals. (Weight loss surgeons might dispute this with me, but they’re hardly unbiased … are they?)

The question is … have you exhausted these other non-surgical options for weight loss? Have you pursued with vigor these bariatric surgery alternatives in the past?

Think about it this way. If you undergo a bariatric weight-loss procedure, you will have to adjust your lifestyle anyway. After a gastric bypass surgery, for example, you cannot eat nearly as much as you did before. So why not try to change your lifestyle in the first place, before resorting to surgery? It’s less expensive, it’s safer,  and it addresses the core issue directly (the unhealthy lifestyle).

The best bariatric surgery alternatives are those that avoid surgery altogether. The best alternative to weight loss surgery are those that address the causes of the disease (lifestyle) and not just the symptoms (weight).