For most people who are overweight, weight loss can easily be achieved with a healthy diet plan and moderate daily exercise. However, for those who suffer from severe obesity, the solution might not be so simple. It can be a chronic, lifelong condition that is not easy to treat with any success. In that situation, weight loss surgery could be a solution to consider.

Before deciding to undergo weight loss surgery, however, you should realize that it is a serious treatment procedure and should be considered very carefully. Before making that decision, it is wise to understand the pros and cons and to get as much information about the different procedures as possible.

If you are overweight by 100 pounds or more and have a Body Mass Index over 40, you will be a candidate for weight loss surgery, as that is considered severe obesity. Besides the self-esteem issues you may suffer as a result, you could also be experiencing sleep difficulties, heart problems, and diabetes. Those conditions, however, could mean greater complications from surgery. So this is something you and your doctor should consider very carefully.

Any surgery can cause a strain to your health and will take time to recover from. If you have other health conditions, your recovery time could be longer. Most people who look at weight loss surgery as an option, however, have tried other diet and exercise plans without success. They know that their weight is already affecting their health. They may consider the risk to be acceptable when weighed against the rewards. Only you can make that decision for yourself.

Obesity has become very common in modern society. It is estimated that more than 30% of U.S. adults are overweight, and some 9 million are considered to be severely obese. Weight loss surgery can successfully treat this problem when all else has failed and continued obesity is causing an unacceptable health risk.

Once you have decided to have the surgery, you need to carefully discuss with your primary doctor where you will have the surgery and whether your health insurance will cover it. If you can show that you have unsuccessfully tried to lose weight in the past, you may be covered.

While weight loss surgery is not the answer for everyone who is overweight, for certain people it is the best way to both lose weight and take back control of their health!