Why is Obesity a Chronic Disease?

The American Medical Association has recognized obesity as a chronic disease. This clarifies that obesity is not about being overweight, lacking willpower/discipline, or about making bad choices. Several factors can have an effect on one’s body weight including genetics, hormones, certain medical conditions, and environmental factors.

In some cases, obesity is a result of impaired metabolic pathways and a dysfunction in the signals for hunger, satiety (the feeling for fullness), and fullness (the state of being full).

As a disease, obesity is defined as a multifactorial and neurobehavioral chronic condition, where the increase in body fat results in different health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and joint diseases.

Diet and exercise aren’t always the solutions

The team at Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons has long known that for many obese individuals, conventional ways of losing weight doesn’t always work. In fact, those who have lost some weight find themselves gaining back the weight they’ve lost (some even more).

Exercise and diet alone doesn’t improve the basal metabolic rate. The body will continually make an effort to return itself to the obesity state. This makes weight loss harder and weight gain easier for some people.

What is the most effective treatment for obesity?

If you have struggled to lose weight through diet and exercise, you may benefit from bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is a more effective and longer lasting solution for weight loss.

Bariatric surgery is the only procedure proven to effectively help obese individuals successfully lose weight long term!

Treating obesity with bariatric surgery will also improve obesity-related comorbidities such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and sleep apnea.

Begin your weight loss journey at Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons

Bariatric Surgeon, Dr. Mark Colquitt and the team at Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons in Knoxville, TN can help you get started with your weightloss journey. Our dedicated staff will assist you from start to finish.

The decision to undergo bariatric surgery shouldn’t be taken lightly as it can significantly affect your life. That’s why we require all our patients to watch our FREE online informational seminar as the first step in the process. Viewing a seminar is also required by most insurance plans that cover weight loss surgery.

The seminar will educate you more about bariatric surgery and will help you decide if this is the right path for you. To sign up to view the seminar, please visit this link. Questions? Call our office at (865) 984-3413.

We look forward to helping you and guiding you on your journey to weight loss!

Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons is part of Premier Surgical Bariatrics in Knoxville, Tennessee. Foothills is affiliated with the Fort Sanders Regional Center for Bariatric Surgery, part of Covenant Health Bariatric Services.