The real risks of excess weight

All sensitivity to pant sizes and supermodel proportions aside, women really might have more to worry about when it comes to their weight.

While more men than women are overweight, more women than men are obese, says Pamela Foster M.D., Mills-Peninsula weight loss surgeon.

Plus, being overweight or obese puts women at higher risk for such conditions as breast and uterine cancer and complications with pregnancy.

Obesity is a known risk factor for ovulation problems leading to infertility, higher rates of miscarriage and increased risk of developing diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy,” the doctor said.

With rates of overweight or obese Americans leveling out at 60 percent of the population, the medical community has had to take a closer look at what works – and what doesn’t – in terms of weight loss.

Besides modern stress, there are several factors that have led to the weight boom, including the convenience and abundance of food, sedentary jobs and the popularity of processed foods.

The most successful long-term weight loss methods involve changes in food portions, eating more vegetables and fruits and switching to whole grains, along with low fat protein, she says.

Exercise is also key, but more difficult for some people to incorporate into their longterm plans.

“You have to make any lifestyle change as easy as possible by connecting new routines to old ones, such as walking at lunch or doing laps around the soccer field during your child’s practice,” the doctor said.

Dr. Foster urges women to be realistic about their excess weight and the associated risks.

“If you have multiple family members with diabetes and heart disease, and weight is an issue, you are at higher risk,” she said. “If you are more than 75 or 100 pounds overweight, the chance of losing it and keeping it off long-term is less than one in 20.”

Weight loss surgery has helped many severely obese people succeed at long-term weight loss and avoid potential health risks, Dr. Foster says.

“One recent study comparing long-term results after surgical and non-surgical weight loss programs showed 73 percent of those who had a laparoscopic gastric banding procedure had remission of their diabetes as
opposed to 13 percent of those who did not have the surgery.”

Because a variety of relatively safe procedures have been developed in recent years – and techniques continue to improve – the doctor predicts weight loss surgery will become an option for increasing numbers of people, including those who are not obese but overweight.

However, she stresses that surgery is only one part of the multidisciplinary approach Mills-Peninsula takes to help those with severe obesity.

“Our program starts with the patient, the primary care physician and surgeon, then adds specialists as needed,“ she said. “Our nutritionists, psychologists, physiologists and endocrinologists help to customize the plan.”

“We actually begin changing eating and exercise habits pre-surgery to help prepare people mentally and physically. It also helps to set realistic
expectations.”

For more information about Mills-Peninsula’s weight loss surgery program, visit www.mills-peninsula.org/obesity.