Morbid Obesity is a Disease

Morbid obesity is a chronic disease, meaning that it has a direct impact on health and longevity, with symptoms building slowly over an extended period of time. An estimated 5-10 million Americans are considered morbidly obese.

Obesity becomes “morbid” when it reaches the point of significantly increasing the risk of one or more obesity-related diseases.  These health problems, known as "comorbidities" can result in significant physical illness, disability, and premature death.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

The definition of morbid obesity is based on a person’s body mass index. You can calculate your own BMI online by using our online calculator in the right column.

“BMI is a way to measure a person’s size, which takes both weight and height into account.”

BMI  Significance  < 19 Underweight 19-24.9  Healthy Weight 25-29.9  Overweight  30-39.9  Obese  ≥ 40 Morbidly Obese

What does your BMI mean? A person is considered overweight if his/her BMI is more than 25, obese if BMI is more than 30, and morbidly obese if BMI is more than 40. 

Weight loss surgery is for people who have: 
  • BMI ≥ 40, whether or not they have obesity-related comorbidities 
  • BMI ≥ 35, if they already suffer from obesity-related comorbidities

Risk of Health Problems

Obesity is known to increase a person’s risk of many health problems (known as “comorbidities”). Some of the more common comorbidities associated with obesity include: 

Type-2 Diabetes (adult onset) High blood pressure Elevated cholesterol/triglycerides Respiratory disease (asthma, lung disease) Sleep apnea Depression Menstrual irregularity (dysmenorrhea) Urinary stress incontinence Cancer

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, heartburn) Degenerative joint disease (DJD) Heart disease  Gallstones Fatty liver disease Coronary artery disease  Stroke Osteoarthritis Infertility

Countless studies have shown that weight loss surgery can have a positive impact on obesity-related health problems.  For morbidly obese people, weight loss surgery can substantially improve, eliminate, or even prevent the development of comorbidities such as these.

Risk of Death

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of death from all causes, and this risk increases as a person's weight problem worsens (as indicated by an increase in BMI).  

Obesity-related illnesses are responsible for 325,000 deaths annually — more than breast and colon cancer combined.

People who are morbidly obese (BMI more than 40) are especially at risk of dying prematurely. Younger people are not spared this risk: teens entering adulthood with BMI >40 die 8-13 years earlier than the general population.

For morbidly obese people, weight loss surgery has been shown to reduce their risk of premature death.

Psychological, Social and Economic impact

The impact of morbid obesity goes far beyond physical health problems. People who are morbidly obese may become depressed or have a sense of helplessness about their weight problem.  Severe obesity can also limit a person’s access to everyday comforts and activities that many people take for granted. The small seats in airplanes and movie theaters are good examples of this.

People who are morbidly obese are often the subject of inappropriate glances and comments from other people. This type of behavior can have a major impact on a person's social and work life, and can even lead to job discrimination.

Although no surgical procedure can claim to be a panacea for problems such as these, weight loss surgery has been shown to improve overall quality of life for people who have been struggling with morbid obesity.

Considering Surgery

Morbid obesity is a serious disease, associated with significant health risks, reduced quality of life, and little chance of success with a conventional non-operative approach to weight loss.  While weight loss surgery is not without risks, the benefits generally far outweigh the risks for people who are suffering with morbid obesity.

If you feel that you or someone you love might benefit from weight loss surgery, or if you would like any additional information, please contact us at 828-327-9178. Or click here to see how to get started in our program.