The Study

The study consisted of 239 overweight and obese women. The researchers divided the women into two groups. The first group was provided general information on how to eat healthy, effectively manage stress, and build a physical fitness routine. The second group attended 30 group discussion sessions, covering issues such as physical activity, emotional eating, and improving body acceptance and body image.

The study found that the women in the discussion groups developed better opinions about their bodies and were able to manage their diets better. Over the course of a year, they lost 7 percent of their body weight on average, while the other group lost on average 2 percent.

Dr. Lavin commented that “this new research has indicated that having a positive body image can help you lose weight. Developing a healthier body image can come from concrete proof that you’re actually achieving weight loss. Body image issues can be common in overweight and obese people and are often associated with poorer weight loss outcomes. Additionally, poor body image has been linked with negative eating behaviors that interfere with weight loss. Thus, it is very important to address and reduce body image concerns when treating obesity.”

Positive body image & weight loss options

Bariatric surgery is often a very effective treatment for obesity. However, some people who are overweight (BMI of 25 – 30) or even some who are obese (BMI 30 – 35) don’t meet the qualifications for standard laparoscopic bariatric procedures, according to NIH guidelines. Dr. Lavin explained that there are treatments for these people. “The new incisionless endoscopic procedure, the POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal), can give these people opportunity for weight loss by curbing their appetite through shrinking the stomach, thereby causing decreased hunger and cravings as well as decreased capacity at meals.” POSE is a one-hour outpatient procedure that is performed through the mouth and does not require any incisions or cuts. It has many advantages, including less post-op pain than traditional bariatric surgery and no external incisions, meaning no visible scars.

Dr. Lavin added, “a positive body image is the foundation for weight management. Procedures such as POSE can help patients gain that positive body image as they begin seeing tangible results after years of yo-yo dieting.” You can visit poseinfo.com, to learn more about the POSE procedure.

To learn more about POSE, or any of other weight loss surgery options provided by Surgical Specialists of Louisiana, please register for a FREE online seminar at either www.poseinfo.com, or www.whyweight.com, or call us at 877-691-3001.

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“This is great news for the State of Louisiana and the Gulf South Region, where the obesity rates are among the highest in the country” said Dr. Tom Lavin, one of the nine board-certified surgeons with the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana. Louisiana was named the fifth most obese state in the country, while neighboring state, Mississippi, was named number one.* The need for more effective treatment options for those suffering from obesity is apparent, as almost 37 million Americans have a BMI of 30-40 and at least one comorbid condition.**

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the Untied States, second only to smoking. It is a disease that requires treatment and successful long-term solutions. The LAP-BAND, combined with diet and exercise, provides an effective treatment option for those in a lower BMI range that previously did not have options beyond diet, exercise and pharmacotherapy.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana is committed to helping you lose weight and obtain a healthy lifestyle. Our nutritionists are available for one-on-one consultations. Whether you need to lose 15, 50 or 150 pounds, SSL can help you. Our medically supervised weight loss program, MyWeight, combines nutrition therapy, physical activity and physician prescribed medication, if necessary. Minimally invasive weight loss surgery (gastric banding, gastric bypass, gastric sleeve) and the new incisionless procedure, POSE, are options for those who need to lose 50 or more pounds. Schedule your free weight-loss surgery seminar today to learn more!

Contact the Surgical Specialists of LA for more information at 1-877-691-3001 or www.whyweight.com.

References

*Trust For America’s Health Report: F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future. June 2010.
**JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association 2010, “Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008” and 2009 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System annual data, http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/.

Adolescents who got the least amount of sleep had a 4.2 times higher risk of becoming obese. Those who slept during the week but stayed up late on weekend nights tripled their risk.

Coupled with lack of sleep is the question, “What are kids doing when they’re not tucked between the sheets?” The answer, not surprisingly, is that they’re playing video games (a sedentary activity), watching TV (another sedentary activity), and eating high-calorie junk food, which are all associated with higher childhood obesity rates.

Researchers believe that sleep deprivation affects metabolism and the endocrine system, especially when the body is young and growing. It also negatively affects two hormones that regulate hunger and appetite, causing overeating. And if that isn’t enough, lack of sleep throws off the body’s biological clock… particularly the mechanism that controls glucose and insulin. When this regulatory mechanism is out of balance, it causes weight gain, heart disease and diabetes. And finally, lack of sleep increases the levels of the hormone cortisol, which regulates how the body uses energy. High levels of cortisol have been linked to insulin resistance and a higher BMI (body mass index).

So how many hours a night should the average child sleep? The NIH (National Institutes of Health) recommends 9 to 10 hours a night. Dr. David Gozal, one of the University of Chicago’s lead researchers and chair of the pediatrics department at the University of Chicago in Illinois said, “Adequate sleep can help reduce obesity as well as other health problems like cardiovascular disease and diabetes now and in the future.”

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana is committed to helping you lose weight and obtain a healthy lifestyle. Our nutritionists are available for one-on-one consultations. Whether you need to lose 15, 50 or 150 pounds, SSL can help you. Our medically supervised weight loss program, MyWeight, combines nutrition therapy, physical activity and physician prescribed medication, if necessary. Minimally invasive weight loss surgery (gastric banding, gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy) and the new incisionless procedure, POSE, are options for those who need to lose 50 or more pounds. Schedule your free weight-loss surgery seminar today to learn more!

Contact the Surgical Specialists of LA for more information at 1-877-691-3001 or www.whyweight.com.

This month marks the first annual National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is focusing their efforts kids who are affected by obesity. The OAC knows the health impact that obesity has on our nation’s kids is tremendous, but they also recognize the emotional damage from discrimination and bullying is equally as harmful.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana encourage everyone to Sign the OAC’s Petition to the President and Congress and take steps toward helping our nation’s kids. The petition asks our country’s leaders to not forget that measures should also be taken to protect our nation’s kids from the devastating effects of discrimination and bullying.

To learn more about the OAC’s efforts during National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in September, please CLICK HERE.

Obese children have an 80% chance of becoming obese adults and are more likely to experience health risks associated with weight such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. To read more about the childhood obesity epidemic, please CLICK HERE.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight. Whether you are interested in weight loss surgery or medically supervised weight loss counseling, we can help you take control of your eating and your weight. Join us for a free seminar or take a weight loss quiz to help you get started.

The C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment) Campaign is an educational initiative designed to provide a platform for consumers, healthcare professionals and Congress to work together to address the obesity epidemic through a dual focus on prevention and treatment, to reduce the prevalence of obesity and ultimately help                                                                        the obese regain their health and their lives.

The C.H.O.I.C.E. campaign is built on three tenants:

• Obesity is a disease, NOT a choice. People need to understand that being significantly overweight (e.g., 100 pounds or more overweight) is not a choice resulting from lack of will power or laziness. Those struggling with their weight have often spent years dieting and exercising without long-term success. Too often, people misperceive obesity as a personal choice resulting from bad lifestyle and eating habits. But, medical research now indicates obesity has more to do with science and the biology of fat, rather than lack of will power or discipline. The C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign provides education and facts to address the stigma associated with obesity, an important step in the prevention and treatment of the disease.
• People who are 100 pounds or more overweight do have a choice. There is growing medical evidence to support that, for people who are more than 100 pounds overweight, weight-loss surgery is more effective than traditional dieting and exercise alone. Anyone who is more than 100 pounds overweight deserves to know they do have a choice.
• America has a choice when it comes to costs associated with obesity. The annual cost of overweight and obesity in America is now projected at $147 billion per year, and is only expected to increase. Prevention policies alone are not enough to address the growing U.S. obesity epidemic. Tackling the obesity epidemic requires a commitment to both prevention and treatment and will only happen with the help of consumers, healthcare professionals and Congress.

If you’re interested learning more about the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign or signing the online petition to congress you can visit www.mychoicecampaign.com. You can also find the campaign on Facebook.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to fighting the obesity epidemic by helping our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight. Whether you are interested in weight loss surgery or medically supervised weight loss counseling, we can help you take control of your eating and your weight. Join us for a free seminar or take a weight loss quiz to help you get started.

On March 26, 2010, a resolution was unanimously passed in the Senate to designate September 2010 as “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month”, bringing national attention to a growing epidemic among youth in the United States. The resolution requests that the president issue a proclamation calling on the federal government, states, tribes and localities to observe September with programs that promote healthy eating and physical activity. Activities planned in September are important steps to improving kids’ wellness and educating families on how to live healthier.

The obesity crisis and unhealthy lifestyles are contributing to the growth of health care costs in America. First Lady Michelle Obama is making childhood obesity one of her top priorities.  Since the mid-1970s, obesity rates in the U.S. have increased dramatically for both children and adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the annual expenditures related to overweight individuals and obesity to be more than $264 billion.  This is greater than the cost of tobacco-related illnesses!  In 2007, spending on health care in the U.S. reached $2.2 trillion or $7,421/person, or 16.2% spending share of gross domestic product.

Facts of appalling proportion:

•    31.8% or 23,000,000 children and teenagers 2-19 are obese or overweight.  This is a statistic that health and medical experts consider an epidemic.

•    The financial implications of childhood obesity pose a tremendous threat to our economy and health care system, carrying up to $14,000,000,000 per year in direct health care cost.

•    People in the U.S. spend about 9% of their total medical costs on obesity-related illnesses.

•    Obese young children have an 80% chance of being obese adults and are more at risk for associated adult health problems including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, stroke, several types of cancer and osteoarthritis.

•    In part due to the childhood obesity epidemic, 1 in 3 children born in the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes at some point in their lifetime if the current trend continues.

Source: Read The Bill: S. Res. 412 – GovTrack.us.  Text of S. Res. 412: A resolution designating September 2010 as “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month”.
Source: Senate Passes Resolution to Designate September “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month”.  http://gillibrand.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=C6CC2288-3D15-4856-8E70-982

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight. Whether you are interested in weight loss surgery or medically supervised weight loss counseling, we can help you take control of your eating and your weight. Join us for a free seminar or take a weight loss quiz to help you get started.

Have you ever wondered just how many calories that chicken quesadilla or reuben sandwich will add to your caloric intake for lunch?  What about the “healthy” veggie spud and cream of broccoli soup?

Eating out can be a real problem for those who are watching their weight and trying to eat healthy.  Until now.  Buried in the pages of the health reform bill passed by the U.S. Congress, is a provision requiring chain restaurants with 20 or more stores to disclose the number of calories on their menus.

Offering a menu without calories is like offering a menu without prices. Individuals should know what their financial cost and their health cost is for what they are ordering. When you purchase food in a grocery store, the “Nutrition Facts” label gives key nutritional information including calories, fat grams, sodium content, etc. for each serving in the package. The customer in a restaurant has to make a blind guess and “judge” how fattening and unhealthy each menu option may be.

Menu-labeling will not reverse the obesity epidemic by itself.  But it is a step in the right direction and one that will cost very little to implement.  Menu-labeling will give each individual the knowledge to make healthy choices, thus putting the responsibility on each of us and ultimately lowering healthcare costs, overall.

Regardless of the view on the overall health reform bill, nearly everyone agrees, including the National Restaurant Association and public health advocates, that this is one part of the bill that will improve health and cut costs in the long run. When the law takes effect in 2011, the number of calories will be noted right next to the price on the menu.

Source: Menu-labeling to Win the Struggle Against Obesity – Kansas City infoZine News.  Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD.  www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/40532.

Until these changes take place, the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana can help you make healthy and informed decisions.  The MyWeight™ nutrition and wellness counseling program in Louisiana offers individualized weight loss programs, lifestyle coaching and one-on-one medical consultation.  Contact our office to learn more about the MyWeight™ medically supervised weight loss program.

Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) Airline Policy Statement

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) recognizes the current standards and practices used by the United States airline industry in regards to the travel process (booking travel, purchasing of additional seat, determination of ability to fly based on size, etc.) must change. Those affected by excess weight experience an overall diminished quality of travel due to the lack of understanding, education and sensitivity to their condition. These standards and practices must change to accommodate the millions of Americans affected by excess weight who utilize the airline industry for their traveling needs on a daily basis. In order to assist the airline industry in modifying and bettering their practices, the OAC has highlighted specific problem areas needing immediate attention. We have also highlighted long term areas of interest requiring action on the part of the airline industry.

Immediate Action Needed

Purchasing of Extra Seat

Those affected by excess weight often want to save themselves the embarrassment of being “required” to purchase an extra seat and therefore, seek to purchase the extra seat online when booking their travel. Unfortunately, it is not simple to purchase another seat online for the same person. The check‐in process can often lead to even further embarrassment as security and gate agents often question the use of the same ID for two tickets.

Solution

A new user‐interface must be developed allowing those who wish to purchase a second seat to easily do so online. Ticket counter employees, gate agents, flight attendants and others must also be educated on the option for a passenger to purchase an extra seat and treat that individual with respect and sensitivity. For those who are “required” to purchase an extra seat based on airline policy, the cost of the extra seat will be reimbursed if there is at least one open seat on the plane. The open seat must be a seat not used by a paying customer. If the airline should choose to use that seat for a non‐paying customer, such as a flight crewperson, the passenger still needs to be reimbursed their fare for the extra seat as the available seat is now occupied by a nonpaying customer.

Assessment of Ability to Fly due to Size

The current standard and practice by which a passenger is deemed able to fly or required to purchase an additional seat, due to their physical size, must change. Current practices often have the assessment of the passenger’s ability to fly taking place inside the aircraft. This approach greatly increases the negative stigma associated with excess weight and embarrasses the passenger in front of his/her peers.

Solution

The process of assessing whether an individual requires an additional seat must be held in a private room out of view of passengers, other airline agents (other than the trained official evaluating the process) or the general public. Passengers in question would be required to sit in a sample airline seat (specific to each airline) and perform the required safety measures, such as lowering the arm rest and buckling the seatbelt (with the assistance of a seatbelt extender if needed). Once completed, the passenger would then be cleared to fly or provided with a detailed explanation regarding their denial of travel or second seat purchase requirement. Once aboard the aircraft, under no circumstances should the passenger be required to once again demonstrate their ability to fit into a seat or perform any other qualification requirements other than those specified by the FAA, such as viewing the safety demonstration or verbally agreeing to assist other passengers if seated in an “exit row.”

Sensitivity Training for All Airline Employees

Travelers affected by excess weight often express horrific stories of being made to prove their ability to fit into a seat, while flight crews watched, explain tirelessly why they have two seats registered to one person and much more. Travelers affected by weight are not second‐class citizens and the treatment of them as such must immediately stop.

Solution

Sensitivity training is a must for the airline industry. Along with the above mentioned issues, sensitivity training is crucial in building a more accepting environment for passengers of size. Unfortunately, weight stigma is one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination in the United States. As the diversity of customers for the airline industry is immeasurable, the airline industry must ensure that it is serving each customer, regardless of size, with respect, dignity and sensitivity. The OAC stands by ready and waiting to assist any airliner with the implementation of sensitivity training for their employees.

Long term Issues

Widening of All Airline Seats

A long term initiative that is achievable by the airline industry is the widening of all airline seats. The average airliner today uses seats that are 17” – 17.2” wide. Unfortunately, this is not aligned with the current size of the average American as millions are affected by excess weight. The much‐needed widening of airline seats is long overdue. Such widening should allow for the vast majority of Americans to travel on a single fare without the requirement of purchasing a second seat.

Solution

The widening of the all airline seats will better accommodate the general public and reduce the number of individuals, affected by excess weight, being denied travel. The airline industry has failed to appropriately assess the size of an average passenger throughout the past 25 years; leading to many passengers, even those who would be deemed “normal weight” according to a body mass index scale, feeling uncomfortable during their travels. The airline industry must adapt to a more forward‐thinking and proactive methodology in constructing their aircrafts with the needs of Americans as a first priority. Major industries, such as sporting venues, automobiles and others have made changes in their seating standards to accommodate people of all shapes and sizes – the airline industry must follow suit. In the interim, immediate inclusion of a limited number of wider seats is a shorter term solution; however, the complete overhaul of airline seating must be addressed in a timely manner as millions of Americans utilize the airline industry on a daily basis.

Reproduced with permission from Obesity Action Coalition. Please visit www.oac.org

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight. Whether you are interested in weight loss surgery or medically supervised weight loss counseling, we can help you take control of your eating and your weight. Join us for a free seminar or take a weight loss quiz to help you get started.

A National Public Awareness Campaign Brought to You by the OAC

Your Weight Matters is a National web-based awareness campaign proudly produced and presented by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). The goal of the campaign is to get the public talking about weight as it relates to their health and to challenge each and every American to talk to their doctor about their weight.

Why Does My Weight Matter?

Weight and health go hand-in-hand. Many Americans are not aware of the health risks associated with excess weight and how weight plays a key role in their health. That’s why it’s important for YOU to get involved in the Your Weight Matters Campaign, assess your weight and talk to your doctor!

What the Campaign Offers

The web-based campaign has all the information you need:

• Tools to measure your weight
• Health risks associated with weight
• Health and wellness tips
• A section dedicated just to kids
• And much more!

Get Started and Take the Challenge

The easy-to-navigate web site guides you step-by-step through measuring your weight and gives you tips for talking to your doctor. Once you take the challenge, you will receive a link to the e-toolkit which includes:

• Sample questions to ask your doctor
• Questions your doctor may ask you
• Food log journal
• Health and wellness quick tips
• Helpful resources
• BMI chart for adults
• And much more!

About the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)

The OAC is a National nonprofit charity dedicated to helping those affected by obesity. The OAC brings together individual struggling with weight and provides educational and advocacy resources.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE! Visit www.yourweightmatters.org today and take the Campaign challenge!

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana is a proud supporter of the Walk From Obesity, whose funds support the OAC. In addition, Laura Boyer, RN, CBN, and Director of Clinical Systems for the Surgical Specialists, is a previous Advisory Board Member for the OAC. Laura and James Redmann, MD, FACS, are contributing authors to the OAC.

Learn more about the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana. You can get more information on weight loss surgery such as gastric banding, gastric bypass or medically supervised weight loss programs by contacting one of our patient advocates today. The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping you reach your weight loss goals. Register for a free seminar and see which one of our weight loss programs has proven to be the most effective for resolving weight related health conditions.

Weight regain after weight loss surgery is more common than you think. The Seminar to be held this Saturday, March 6, 2010, will equip you with the necessary skills to make a “comeback”. At this seminar we will explore why the weight returned after surgery and offer realistic solutions to help you make your comeback.

Even the most successful surgical weight loss patients occasionally regain weight. There are many complex factors contributing to this as the body will do everything in its power to avoid starvation and weight loss.

The tool we provided you with during surgery may not be as effective as it was early in your post operative period. Changes in the anatomy take place in the form of a pouch that has stretched or an opening to the small intestine that has enlarged.

The team of speakers who will meet with you include, Dr. Scott Eckholdt, Dr. Stan Owens, Dr. Carson Cunningham and Jill Hurley, OTR/L. Dr. Eckholdt will discuss relapse prevention while occupational therapist, Jill Hurley will help you develop healthy habits for living. Dr. Owens created the PresciptFit Medical Nutritional Therapy program designed to focus on both behavior and physiological elements of maintaining a health weight. Dr. Cunningham will introduce the exciting new incisionless revisional procedure called ROSE.

The symposium will be held at the Fitzsimons Auditorium at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana on Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information please call 225-289-4677 or toll free at 866-935-8040.