Today, the National Institutes of Health estimate that 65 percent of adult Americans are overweight with more than 9 million at least twice their ideal body weight (100 pounds heavier than they should be). A growing national epidemic, obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970’s. April is National Minority […]

In the last few months, several clinical studies have painted a frightening portrait of fertility for the obese man. Looking at the rise in overall Body Mass Index (BMI) in male patients throughout the United States, researchers have observed a strong connection between the increase in BMI and declining fertility rates. Often thought by the […]

So often I hear from my patients that they believe they have been genetically predisposed to obesity. That they were destined to eventually become severely overweight because their (insert immediate family member here) always struggled with his or her weight. I’m here to tell you, so much of what we know about weight gain, BMI […]

Vital Signs. You can be sure these standard measurements of our most basic body functions (body temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate) will be taken on just about every visit you pay to a physician. And with good reason. These metrics tell your doctor a lot about your overall health. If you’re body […]

Most men and women suffering from obesity know how it feels to be judged by their physical appearance. The self-hating commentary coming from within many obese men and women is often repeated by the outside world.Almost every person today knows that obesity is a common problem for the American population. Unfortunately, knowing about a problem […]

Though bariatric surgery isn’t new to the weight-loss discussion, I still find the perception of it among the public remains fraught with misconceptions and misguided information. And of course, the main- stream media can sometimes seem to help and hurt the flow of accurate information on the subject, all at the same time. There have […]

As I surgeon, I’m often fascinated and sometimes disheartened by the lack of empathy some patients receive from others (medical professionals, colleagues, family members and friends) when it comes to their decision to undergo bariatric surgery. Yes, as with any surgical decision, bariatric surgery has risks. But when I think about all of the procedures […]

With recent news of Carnie Wilson’s decision to undergo a LAP-BAND procedure following her gastric bypass surgery 12 years ago, the risks and benefits of “follow-up” bariatric surgeries are being discussed in the media with renewed interest. While I appreciate healthy dialogue on the subject of weight-loss surgery, I also want that dialogue to be […]

Our compassionate and knowledgeable staff understands the challenges our obese patients are faced with every day, and strive to make every weight loss journey a success story. Being confident and proud of your body can be quite difficult when you are obese. Chances are you have spent years of your life struggling with your weight, […]

Sadly, it is quite difficult to stop gaining weight. Weight gain often starts slowly and may not be noticed at first, but eventually the pounds start accumulating. Chances are youve tried diet after diet that just didnt provide lasting results. To make matters worse, even small amounts of exercise can be difficult if you suffer […]