In the current issue of the Australian Women’s Weekly, Dr Ken Wong discusses why weight loss surgery including gastric sleeve or gastric bypass may not work.
This is an important issue as one in five patients are likely to regain all their weight within five years after gastric sleeve surgery.
The natural tendency of humans is to gain weight. This goes back to primitive times when food was not readily available and we were designed to store food and gain weight. Weight loss surgery is designed as a tool to kick start some weight loss but is in no way permanent.
Obesity is a long term condition just like asthma and diabetes. It requires constant attention.
Diet and exercise are very important. After surgery if a person’s diet exceeds 1200 calories a day, then weight will come back on.