Why Resort to Weight Loss Surgery?

When the weight control mechanism goes wrong, it’s as if the part in the brain controlling this amazingly complex mechanism has been re-set. It thinks that the normal amount of fat for that person should be say 50%, rather than say 21%, which would be their normal fat.

So weight is able to be lost for a while, then the control center gets alarmed, as it thinks there is not enough fat to survive the next poor hunt or lean winter. So a whole series of body chemistry is set into motion to regain that fat, in order to survive. These body chemistry changes occur without us knowing, and are beyond our control, just like heart beats and breathing. We can influence them for a while, but we cannot stop them.

We have very limited medical ability to control this system. Long term drug use is very unlikely to loose more than 10% of body weight, and there are side effects for many people.

And thus we resort to surgery, as it is the only available treatment for maintaining long-term weight loss. It is vital to understand that surgery is done to improve health and cure or improve illness. To do that, we have to get rid of fat. It should never be seen as a purely cosmetic option.