Treating Obesity in the Biloxi, Gulfport, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Region
At South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss, our mission is to help patients improve their health and quality of life by overcoming severe weight problems. The surgical procedures we perform can have a significant impact, but they are not the solution in and of themselves. Success depends on a combination of changes, many of which are rooted in the behavior and lifestyle of the patient. We believe that, in order to make these changes and reach their goals, patients need to understand the problem that they are attempting to overcome. Our obesity experts in the Biloxi, Gulfport, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Area can help patients examine the source of their condition, thereby providing the tools necessary to overcoming it.
Obesity Defined
The term obesity refers to an excess of body fat. A certain amount of body fat is normal and healthy, and women naturally have a higher percentage of body fat than men do. However, having a significantly higher percentage of body fat than is necessary can have a wide range of adverse effects on a person's health and lifestyle. It is generally agreed upon in the medical community that men with more than 25% body fat and women with more than 30% body fat are considered obese.
The method typically used to measure obesity, however, is the body mass index (BMI), which is a ratio of height and weight. This system is not perfect, because weight can be influenced by factors other than body fat, such as bone structure or muscle mass. However, in the majority of cases, a high BMI is due to the presence of excess body fat.
Clinical severe obesity is what we address at our Biloxi and Gulfport Practice serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast. People with this form of obesity have a BMI of 40 or higher. This usually translates to about 100 pounds or more of excess body fat.
Sources of Obesity
The sources of obesity are much more difficult to define than obesity itself. There is no single cause or combination of causes that is applicable to all patients. There are, however, various common problems that can be associated with excess weight. These include genetic traits, environmental factors, metabolic issues, and eating disorders. Determining what source or combination of sources is contributing to a severe weight problem is the first step in learning how to manage it.
Effects of Obesity on the Body
The problems associated with excess body weight are numerous and highly varied. From the physical discomforts associated with having an oversized body to the life-threatening medical conditions that can develop and worsen over time, severe obesity interferes with almost every aspect of a person's life.
Some of the medical conditions most commonly experienced by people with severe obesity include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoarthritis of weight-bearing joints, gastroesophageal reflux (chronic heartburn), menstrual irregularities, sleep apnea, depression, infertility, and urinary stress incontinence. For many who have undergone surgery and begun to lose weight, the effects of these conditions have been reduced or even reversed.
Contact Our Practice
If you are considering weight loss surgery or would like to know more about this method of overcoming obesity, please contact our office in the Biloxi / Gulfport region serving the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Contact South Mississippi Surgical Weight Loss Center today if you live near Ocean Springs, Mississippi and are considering bariatric surgery. We will be happy to schedule you for one of our info sessions.