University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown invites local residents who have had or are considering bariatric surgery, to the next Bariatric Support Group Meeting, set for Saturday, January 25, at 10:00 a.m. in the Medical Center’s Education Center. The guest speaker, Ellen Moore, manager at Aquafit, a Chestertown-based fitness and physical therapy center, will share her strategies for “Getting Back on Track after the Holidays” and will distribute free passes to Aquafit.
According to group leader Mary King, RD, LD, CDE, nutrition services coordinator for UM Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, the meeting also is open to family members and other loved ones of individuals who may be candidates for bariatric surgery or are post-surgery and looking to stay on course with their weight loss. “The Bariatric Support Group is a great way to share stories, ideas and challenges that face people who are considering bariatric surgery or who have had bariatric surgery,” says King. “Everyone learns from the experience of others.”
Many participants in the support group have had surgery or are preparing for surgery at The Center for Weight Management and Wellness at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. However, King emphasizes that the group also welcomes patients from other weight management programs and surgical centers.
Bariatric surgery is attracting more interest than ever before as nationwide obesity rates continue to rise in almost all age groups. Recent studies indicate that more than 15 million Americans now suffer from morbid obesity, which means being 100 pounds or more over their ideal body weight and having a body mass index (BMI) of 35-40 or more with obesity related health conditions.
One of the major appeals of bariatric surgery is its strong success rate in helping morbidly obese patients — achieve and sustain weight loss. According to the American Society for Metabolic Bariatric Surgery, long-term follow-up studies have demonstrated that following bariatric surgery, up to 90 percent of patients are successful in maintaining 50 percent or more of their weight loss. This success is reported in only 10 percent of morbidly obese patients being treated with medical management (which involves a rigid, lifelong regimen).
Another factor in the growing interest in bariatric surgery is the increasing recognition of morbid obesity as a serious disease that predisposes people to increased risk for certain cancers and to other health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, infertility, and bladder and bowel incontinence. Once patients with these conditions lose a significant amount of weight, most see dramatic improvement. For example, many are better able to manage their diabetes and no longer require medication; those with sleep apnea may be able to stop using their CPAP masks and machines; and others find their blood pressure has returned to normal with no need to continue medication.
“One of the great things about the Bariatric Support Group is that you hear so many stories of people who are well along in their journey toward a healthier, more active and more enjoyable life,” says King. “They are not only proud of their success but excited to see others make the same journey and to help them along.”
The Bariatric Support Group Meeting is free but anyone planning to attend is encouraged to contact King by calling 410-778-3300, ext, 2295.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.