Obesity in the context of the United States is indeed a major issue today, with one out of every three Americans reported being obese. Unrestricted use of fast food containing high calories, sweets, salts, and carbohydrate-rich food is a major cause of obesity in children. (Childhood obesity: causes, 2007). Thus it is necessary to institute major changes in diet including consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, regular exercise, and moderate lifestyle to reduce the threats of obesity.
It is widely believed that between the years 1980-2000, the rate of obesity has doubled among US adults. (Facts about obesity in the United States, n.d.).
It is also conventionally projected that in the US, nearly 30% of the population, i.e. 60 million people are obese. (One billion people overweight, 300 million obese worldwide, 2009). The main aspect that is a matter of real concern is not obesity but the adverse impacts like Type II diabetes, hypertension, heart ailments, cancer, and other conditions, or diseases that could be derived from obesity.
However, this study would like to take up both sides of the problem. The first part deals with the gastric bypass surgery that is performed for curing obesity. (Weight loss: Gastric Bypass Operation, 2009).
Gastric bypass surgery wherein the size of the stomach pouch is considerably cut down thus reducing the need for food intake, and also makes “bypasses of the duodenum and other segments of the small intestine to cause malabsorption (decreased ability to absorb nutrients from food).” (Michaels, n.d., para.2).
Prima facie, appears to be a medical intervention that is intended to reduce the size of the stomach and checks the ability of the intestines to absorb nutrients that lead to obesity. “People who have bypass operations generally lose two-thirds of their excess weight within 2 years.” (Weight loss: Gastric Bypass Operation, 2009).
The evidence presented in this source is relevant to the problem in that it offers an effective solution when other interventionist methods fail. The evidence does throw light on the sub-problems and complications that could arise during such medical procedures. However, what happens when such operations become failures have not been sufficiently expounded. For example, it speaks about ‘band erosion’ but what curative measures are undertaken, should such kinds of failures occur, have not been delved into. It is necessary that an article of this genre needs to competently and comprehensively address medical failures and how they need to be undone. (Are there risks associated with gastric bypass surgery: (Gastric bypass surgery (cont.), 2009).
The main assumption is that the patients are fit for such kinds of medical operations and that the benefits of such intervention would exceed the risks and cut down obesity dramatically.
When do doctors recommend such a procedure? What happens if the operation fails due to technical reasons? Could a second procedure be advised and what are its risks and challenges? Could a patient lead a normal life after surgery or does he need to be subjected to diet and lifestyle restrictions throughout the rest of his life? These questions have been left unanswered. To this extent, the pro-offered evidence fails to meet critical thinking.
It has also been proved through research studies that severe forms of high-risk obesity could be successfully treated through such operations. “University of Utah School of Medicine researchers reported a 40% overall reduction in deaths among the surgery patients compared to the patients who did not have weight loss surgery”. (Boyles, 2007, Weight loss surgery vs. no surgery, para.2). Several aspects of intervention depending upon the extent of failure to contain and control morbid obesity have been reasoned out. This being a medical issue, the perspectives adopted conform well to the issue under study.
However, this study shows that while bypass surgery patients have lower mortality rates as compared to non-surgery patients, they have a 58% higher death rate from risks caused by other factors. (Boyles, 2007). Thus it is possible that while stomach bypass operation may be successful, patients may die of other causes.
It is now necessary to consider the second article which considers the other view about gastric bypass surgical treatment.
This article delves into the various risks associated with gastric bypass surgery. (Health dangers of gastric bypass surgery, 2007). Although in most cases, gastric bypass surgery or bariatric surgery is successful and prolongs the life span of the patient, it could also cause complications. Sometimes, the threats and complications arising from these surgeries are much severe than their professed benefits to patients.
Further, it is seen that the question of bariatric surgery is normally considered for seriously obese (BMI 35+) or morbidly obese (BMI 40+). Moreover, it may be used as the last option when the patient does not respond to conventional weight losing procedures. (Health problems of bariatric surgery for severe obesity, 2007).
Surgery using stomach staples could lead to breaking or loosening of staples, nausea, and vomiting due to indigestion caused by not chewing food properly, and other nutritional issues that may arise from time to time.
The study is not underpinned with actual cases based on facts, figures, and statistics. While the evidence is presented quite lucidly and devoid of medical jargon, it fails to address, in a cohesive and well-balanced manner, the actual symptomatic basis of evidence and what preventive or curative steps need to be taken, in the event of failure to achieve the desired degree of patient relief and assurance. Evidence acclaiming bariatric surgery does not lay enough grounds for critical thinking. It is necessary for the article to state and argues how this procedure scores over conventional treatment options and what are its risks and challenges in terms of the long-term welfare needs of patients.
Studies have shown that the grossly obese people (having BMI over 40) who had chosen to go in for stomach bypass surgery could reduce their rate of fatality by almost 89% as compared to equally overweight patients who did not opt for surgical treatment. (Health dangers of gastric bypass surgery, 2007).
Another study conducted on 66,000 obese patients found out that only 3% of the patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery (with BMI over 40) died within around 14 years after undergoing surgery, as compared to a high 14% rate in the case of patients who did not undergo surgical interventions. (Health dangers of gastric bypass surgery, 2007).
The main aspects are in terms of the fact that to get the right assessment, the success rates also need to be compared with the general public who get such kinds of ailments, without being obese. The success rate of obesity as a predominant and key factor needs to be weighed with the population who are not obese and yet contract, obesity-like conditions, or diseases, for such theories to be rendered correct and genuine. To gain light on the success or failure rate of obesity surgery, it is necessary to compare statistics relating to members of the general public who have obese-like systems and yet are not technically obese as per BMI standards.
The main assumption, in this case, is that the health hazards that have occurred to the select population are due to obesity and they are in the high-risk category due to this condition.
The strength of this essay is that various health impacts that affect obesity have been considered in detail. Also, the outcome of studies has been discussed and the results are mentioned in the article. Further, complete details of the outcome of diseases, in the event surgery is carried out or not, have also been detailed upon.
The main weakness has been that comparative analysis between sample populations that had contracted diseases due to obesity, as against samples that had got the diseases, due to causes unrelated to obesity, needs to be considered. A person may contract high cholesterol, for example, due to obesity. It is also possible that he may contract it due to other conditions unrelated to obesity.
Thus, it would be incorrect to pinpoint general health conditions arising due to obesity alone, and yet this factor bulwarks the outcome of this study.
There are two aspects to the study of bariatric surgery, in terms of the mortality rate, post-operation and also the failure rate of this kind of surgery, both in terms of mortality within few years of the intervention and the need for additional surgery to control the complications that may arise from primary surgery.
“The number of hospital deaths following bariatric surgery is less than 1 percent, while roughly 1 out of 5 patients require re-hospitalization for corrective treatment. In general, mortality and morbidity rates of follow-up operations are higher than those of initial surgeries.” (Health problems of bariatric surgery for severe obesity, 2007).
The prime consideration for the doctors would be the current state of health of the patient, taking into account the risks of operating versus non-operating, the medical history, success/failure rate of such characteristic operations, side effects, and the possibility of recurring operations due to complicity of such operations. It could also be in the best interests of patients to protect their current and future health conditions.
From a critical point of view, the aspect of obesity itself is a matter of interpretation and subjective analysis. Does BMI determine obesity, or is it a medical report, or is it just because a person is overweight? A person may be obese and overweight and yet be perfectly healthy, and conversely, non-obese people may have a variety of illnesses. Thus, it is necessary to have more accurate standards and measurement tools for determining obesity and its health consequences on the American people. Again, general theories regarding the use of bariatric surgery may not always be true, and the specific characteristics surrounding beneficial use, or otherwise of bariatric surgery need to be contextually evaluated before being implemented. The best health interests of patients need to be considered before recommending bariatric surgery, including its long terms benefits and risks.
Reference List
- Boyles, S. (2007). Weight loss surgery save lives: Research shows fewer deaths from diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer: Weight loss surgery vs. no surgery. Medicine Net.com.
- Boyles, S. (2007). Weight loss surgery save lives: Research shows fewer deaths from diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer. Medicine Net.com.
- Childhood obesity: causes: Causes of childhood obesity. (2007).
- Facts about obesity in the United States. (n.d.).
- Gastric by pass surgery (cont.). (2009). MedicineNet.com. Web.
- Health dangers of gastric bypass surgery. (2007).
- Health problems of bariatric surgery for severe obesity: What are the health risks of bariatric surgery. (2007).
- Health problems of bariatric surgery for severe obesity. (2007). Health Dangers of Bariatric Surgery.
- Michaels, S. (n.d.). Gastric bypass surgery and weight loss. Sickness Information.
- One billion people overweight, 300 million obese worldwide. (2009). Obesity Discussion: Rediscover What’s Inside.
- Weight loss: Gastric Bypass Operation. (2009). Medicine Net.com. Web.
- Weight loss: Gastric Bypass Operation: Extensive gastric bypass (biliopancreartic diversion). (2009). Medicine Net.com. Web.