We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Procedures

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Bariatrics?

By Jacob Queen
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 7,756
Share

Bariatrics is a term used to describe medical practices related to treating obesity. A doctor who specializes in bariatrics may be a surgeon who performs various obesity-related operations, or he may prescribe medications that promote weight loss. Bariatrics doctors are also usually well-versed in the subject of dieting, and they may put patients on diets or exercise programs.

According to experts, most traditional weight-loss approaches tend to fail. This may be because the approaches are generally ineffective, or it may be because people have trouble with self-discipline. There are also some people who suffer with physical problems like thyroid disease, which keep them from succeeding on a diet. In these cases, bariatrics medicine may be one of the only options available.

Sometimes supervision from a bariatrics physician can allow diet programs to work better than they would normally. In many cases, the doctors may provide patients with a more effective diet or give them better advice on how to follow the diet. There is also a certain motivational factor when people have to visit a doctor for regular weigh-ins, and this may help people stick to their diets more easily.

When traditional approaches fail to work, a bariatrics doctor will usually try medicines as a second option. There are several weight-loss medications that work in different ways. Some simply keep people from getting hungry, and this can often be the most effective way to control food intake. Others work by blocking certain nutrients and increasing metabolism. Many of the medicines used in weight-loss programs have a variety of side effects, especially for people with cardiac or blood pressure problems.

Sometimes bariatrics physicians decide to try surgery as a way of controlling someone’s weight. Unlike dieting, surgery can work regardless of the individuals self-discipline, and usually it will work even if people have medical issues that make weight loss difficult. Most surgical methods either reduce stomach size or change the intestine to limit the absorption of nutrients.

Bariatrics surgeries have some side effects that sometimes make physicians hesitant to use them. Once people lose the weight, they may actually have trouble getting enough nutrients and may eventually even suffer from malnutrition. Other people have severe digestive problems and may suffer from nausea on a regular basis. The surgeries themselves can also be somewhat dangerous, and there are quite a few surgical complications that can occur.

Share
The Health Board is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.thehealthboard.com/what-is-bariatrics.htm
Copy this link
The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

The Health Board, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.