Bradley Waggoner, MD

Life Threatening Diseases and Obesity

Why You Need to Conquer Your Obesity Problem¹
The fact is if you are obese, the odds that your life will be shorter and possibly quite painful is an uncomfortable truth to face. You probably already know, this but did you know that the following diseases are directly linked to obesity?

Cancer
Recent studies suggest that those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) more than 40 (morbidly obese) had death rates from cancer that were 52 percent higher for men and 62 percent higher for women, as compared to rates for normal weight men and women.

Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease causing deterioration of the joint cartilage.

Heart Disease
Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally.

High Cholesterol
Lipid disorders are when you have excess fatty substances in your blood.

Gallbladder Disease
Gallbladder disease includes inflammation, infection, stones or obstruction of the gallbladder.

Diabetes
Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood.

Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a condition characterized by episodes of stopped breathing during sleep.

Stroke
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel (artery) that supplies blood to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot.

¹Obesity Cancer Coalition. "Obesity-Related Conditions From A-Z." <http://www.obesityaction.org/resources/oacnews/oacnews2/obesityrelatediseases.php>
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If you are new to this blog space, welcome!
Here in this space you will find information not only about bariatric surgery options such as LAP-BAND System surgery, but you will also learn more about how to deal with your obesity problem as well as what to expect before and after your surgery. You are also invited to attend one of our free informational seminars on LAP-BAND surgery. During the course of the seminar you'll have the opportunity to meet with Dr. Bradley Waggoner, other prospective patients such as yourself, as well as patients who have had bariatric surgery.

Weight Loss Surgery Health Benefits

Over the last year, several studies have been published that point to the benefits of weight loss surgery for the morbidly obese. The latest study published in January 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 73% of the 60 obese patients with type 2 diabetes who had laparoscopic gastric banding surgery experienced remission of their diabetes while only 13% of the patients who went through a conventional weight loss program experienced remission.

Further, two separate studies, one in Sweden and one in the United States, and published last summer in the New England Journal of Medicine, separately found that obese people who had weight loss surgery had a 30% to 40% lower risk of dying 7-10 years later compared with those who did not have such operations.

In the U.S. study, a team that looked at 7,925 severely obese people in the state who had gastric bypass surgery. They were matched with similar people who did not have the operation. Deaths from diabetes in the surgery group were dramatically cut by 92 percent; from cancer by 60 percent and from heart disease by 56 percent. Both studies were done before surgery advances such as lap-band surgery.

To compare the benefits of gastric bypass surgery and lap-band surgery, click here. To learn more about the health benefits of bariatric weight loss surgery call Dr. Bradley Waggoner who has extensive experience in performing both weight loss surgeries. You can also opt to attend one of several free lap-band surgery seminars held monthly in the North Houston area.