Obesity Epidemic - Lose Fat With Surgery or Lipodissolve
Can it be that more than two-thirds of American are overweight? That's what a recent Time Magazine article says. Obesity in America has reached dangerous epidemic proportions and is now the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Unfortunately, being overweight isn't just about aesthetics and good looks. Being overweight puts significant strains on the body and in turn on the healthcare industry. The health risks associated with being overweight are numerous, including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes stroke, sleep apnea, joint problems and psychological problems.
Despite the extreme risks of carrying all that extra weight, many Americans just continue to add pounds, refusing to adjust their diet or incorporate exercise into their daily routine. Not all overweight people, however, refuse to take action. All of the news clips, articles, and warnings from doctors do have an impact on some. The first order of business should be to cut out fatty foods in favor of healthier, low-fat foods and regular exercise. Those things aren't enough for everyone, especially those people who really want to look good.
There are a number of weight loss surgeries that offer long lasting fat loss. There are also less invasive, non-surgical options available to people who desire to get rid of small pockets of fat from targeted areas of the body. The most common 'body sculpting' treatment is called lipodissolve, which is involves the injection of fat melting drugs into fatty tissues.
On the surgical side, there are two typical options for obese individuals: LAP Band and gastric bypass surgery. Both of these surgical weight loss procedures seem to work well for people who really should and need to lose many pounds. The benefits of having one of these surgeries are often greater than the risks associated with being severely overweight.
Having LAP Band or gastric bypass surgery typically results in fast weight loss. In the first six months an individual will shed significant weight. The LAP Band limits food intake through the use of an inflatable band that is put around the upper stomach, creating a smaller stomach area. This procedure restricts the amount of food that can be consumed, and also slows digestion, which in turn reduces appetite. A person who has a LAP Band will feel full after eating only a little food. The LAP Band is a reversible procedure.
The gastric bypass surgery is a two-phase surgery and definitely more radical than having a LAP Band surgery. In gastric bypass, the stomach is surgically condensed to create a smaller stomach pouch. A secion of the intestine is then attached to the new condensed or shrunken stomach, resulting in a bypass of the larger stomach. Someone who has had the surgery will not be able to consume as much food or absorb as many calories -- it's pretty much fool proof.
Those are thinking about having either surgery will need to speak with their physician and should do considerable research beforehand.
What options are available to people who are not extremely overweight or obese, who simply desire to remove fat for aesthetic reasons? Maybe you've had LAP Band surgery but certain pockets of fat were unaffected. There are lots of individuals are at a healthy weight but who would like to shed another inch or two here or there. If this sounds like you, then a less invasive, non-surgical fat removal treatment such as lipodissolve or mesotherapy, are available from some weight loss clinics and plastic surgeons.
Lipo-dissolve (also known as injection lipolysis or lipodissolve) is a non-surgical, body sculpting treatment that claims to work on targeted pockets of fat. Proponents of lipodissolve say that it is effective on adipose tissue, especially in very fatty areas of the body like buttocks, love handles, backs of the arms, and abdomen. The treatments are quite popular but the most commonly used combination of drugs have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Recently, the state of Kansas attempted to bar physicians and clinicians from giving Phosphatidylcholine injections (PC/DC), which is a commonly available lipodissolve drug treatment. The ban was nearly implemented in September 2007 but was blocked so that the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts could solicit more public opinion and hold further discussion on the merits and dangers of the unapproved injection drug therapy. Meanwhile, in other areas of the world, Brazil, Canada, and the United Kingdom have banned or warned against lipodissolve.
So, the weight or fat can come off if that's your desire. Don't decide on a course of action until you have done your homework and consulted with a physician about the risks and benefits of the many diet, exercise, surgical and non-surgical treatments available. If you're one of the two-thirds of Americans who are carrying too much weight, then think carefully about the best ways to become healthier and probably happier.
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