SALT LAKE CITY — Obesity is a direct contributor to multiple chronic conditions, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. More than one-third of all US adults are obese and more than one-half of Utah adults are considered overweight or obese. Weight loss surgery is directly associated with improving or resolving obesity-related disease - This is why Intermountain Healthcare has established a Metabolic & Bariatric Program.
Intermountain Healthcare’s Metabolic & Bariatric Programis a comprehensive weight loss program, created by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, primary care physicians and other healthcare professionals. Intermountain also has a “Weigh to Health” program and “LiVe Well” centers with clinicians who have the aim of helping us to live the healthiest lives possible.
The Bariatric or surgical weight loss portion of our program supports individuals who have attempted to lose weight through diet and lifestyle modifications and have been unable to achieve substantial and durable weight loss. The surgical weight loss program at Intermountain recognizes the genetic, environmental, and metabolic basis of obesity. This key concept rests on research that demonstrates that clinically severe obesity (e.g. bmi >35 kg/m2, or 70+ pounds over ideal body weight) is a metabolic disease (or disorder) that nearly always requires changes to digestive anatomy and physiology to bring about lasting weight loss results and health benefits. Even with surgery, close attention to healthy eating and regular exercise are essential for optimal, durable results.
Intermountain has 3 centers accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program for bariatric procedures located at LDS hospitalin Salt Lake City,Utah Valley Hospital in Provo and Dixie Regional Medical Centerin St. George.
Procedures may vary at the different facilities, but all offer Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and the sleeve gastrectomy. Both surgeries create smaller stomachs and beneficially affect your body’s digestive hormones to reduce hunger, improve satiety and metabolic efficiency. These surgeries allows people to better follow a lower volume, higher protein diet, which in turn results in more durable weight loss. This tool has also been shown to help reduce or resolve the risk of life-threatening obesity related illnesses.
After surgery there is still a life-long commitment that includes:
• Taking recommended vitamin supplements
• Following an outlined diet regimen
• Exercising
• Limited snacking, with attention to high protein, wholesome foods
• Attending a support group
• And not drinking your calories
Click herefor more information and to find out it Bariatric Surgery is right for you.
