Weight Loss Surgery in Kentucky

We’re getting fat, Kentucky. Across our state, the number of overweight and obese individuals is rapidly increasing. In fact, almost 67% of the population of Kentucky is overweight or obese, placing the Bluegrass State among the fattest in the nation.

Unsurprisingly, Kentucky is also among the top-ranked states in the nation in adults suffering from high blood pressure -- #6 out of 50, with 29.8% of our people diagnosed with the condition compared to 24.9% nationally.

Obesity is a disease – a complex medical condition that occurs when a person’s weight exceeds that healthy for his or her height and build.  Besides its cosmetic and psychological damage, obesity can lead to life-threatening illnesses called co-morbidities, such as type 2 diabetes

Obesity is killing people. The epidemic of obesity in our state must be stopped.

Finding a Cure

Curbing obesity is not just a matter of losing weight. Weight loss itself is a simple matter: when a person takes in fewer calories than the body needs for normal day-to-day activities, the body starts to burn fat for energy, resulting in weight loss. The difficulty comes in restricting caloric intake. For people who struggle with obesity, the compulsion to eat—whether or not they are hungry—is in many cases almost irresistible.

Obesity is not a character flaw. It is a disease based upon the patient’s disordered relationship with food. For this reason, those suffering from obesity often need not only medical treatment, but also psychological counseling. Still, no miracle cure for obesity exists, however. The only way to successfully treat the disease of obesity is through a complete change in the patient’s lifestyle and eating habits. No fad diets, no exercise program, no “weight-loss pills” can cure obesity.  All these can do is damage the sufferer’s health

To beat obesity we must change the way we in Kentucky think about and relate to food. We must commit ourselves to making healthier food choices, and eating only as much as our bodies need. Most of us can lower our weight by changing our food choices and activity levels, but for some, even the most sincere effort to lose the extra pounds proves pointless. Weight loss surgery exists to help such people.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery is a surgical operation in which the patient’s stomach and/or digestive tract are physically altered in order to limit the amount of food the patient can consume. It works by forcing the patient to ingest fewer calories each day than he or she burns. Gradual, permanent weight loss results.

However, weight loss surgery is not without risk. Patients who fail to adopt a healthy diet and more active lifestyle after the surgery may regain any weight lost. In addition, weight loss surgery may entail unforeseen health consequences for the patient, including serious complications. Patients should consult with their physician about the risks and possible outcomes of weight loss surgery prior to making a decision.

Beating Obesity

It’s time to wake up, Kentucky. Obesity is killing and injuring our people. If we are to stop this plague, we must address the root cause of obesity – poor eating and lifestyle habits. Working together, we can transform our state for the better.