Obesity affects more than two-thirds of all adults in the United States. More than an issue of appearance, it is a disease that compromises the health and quality of life of millions of men and women. Treating obesity is of utmost importance to the future well-being of individuals and society alike.
As with any other disease, individuals who are overweight or obese and want treatment should seek a qualified medical professional. If you are beginning your search for a doctor who can help you lose weight, you will want to consider one who specializes in obesity.
Depending on the approach you want to take in regards to weight loss, you will want to select either a bariatrician or a bariatric surgeon. While bariatricians and bariatric surgeons are both specialists that focus on the treatment of obesity, their treatment approach is different.
Bariatricians are often confused with bariatric surgeons. Bariatric surgeons are surgeons who specialize in performing weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery involves making changes to the digestive system to restrict food consumption and/or reduce food absorption.
The most common types of weight loss surgeries are gastric bypass surgery, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding with the LAP-BAND System or REALIZE Band, and gastric sleeve.
Bariatricians, also known as bariatric physicians, are doctors who specialize in helping patients lose weight without surgical intervention. Treatment involves a medically supervised weight loss program to promote weight loss and control body weight and other risk factors.
A medically supervised weight-loss treatment program will typically deal with issues of diet, physical activity, and eating behaviors. It may or may not use pharmaceuticals to assist with weight loss.
Obesity is a difficult disease to overcome. Whether you seek help with weight loss with or without surgery, you should choose a medical provider such as a bariatrician or bariatric surgeon that is qualified to provide the specialized treatment necessary for treating obesity and related health conditions.
