Bariatric Surgery in Obesity Treatment

Obesity, defined as BMI ≥30 kg/m2, is a chronic disease with major health and economic implications. More than 30% of the American population are obese, making it the leading nutritional disorder in U.S. society. Obesity rates among men, women, and children have skyrocketed in the United States over the past 2 decades. This trend has escalated to epidemic proportions, with a disproportionate increase in persons with super-obesity, defined as those with a BMI ≥50 kg/m2. Obesity is recognized as a major cause of excessive morbidity and mortality in the 21st century, while weight loss is associated with numerous favorable metabolic alignments. Practically speaking, traditional treatment options for obesity are [Page 104]generally ineffective and fraught with high rates of failure and weight regain.

In 1991, the National ...