The History of Gastric Bypass and Obesity in America

The History of Gastric Bypass and Obesity in America

The first laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery was performed in 1994, by Alan Wittgrove. Before then, procedures were very invasive. In the last 20 plus years, the amount of people electing to receive gastric bypass surgery has dramatically increased in conjunction with obesity rates. Obesity is declared a global epidemic.

The growth of supermarkets in the 60’s can be traced to stores putting preservatives, added sugars, fats, and salts into consumer’s diets. The rise of fast food chains have had some unfair shaming in the past. Ultimately, it is up to the person to decide what they choose to eat, how they exercise, and other lifestyle measures.

Gastric bypass surgeries are elective procedures, which means people choose to do them, not out of desperate medical need. They are usually performed on people who are morbidly obese, or a BMI of 40 and above.

Why People Undergo A Gastric Bypass

There are many reasons that people choose to get gastric bypass. Some are from psychological damage of appearances, and how they perceive aesthetic beauty standards. Others are told they need to lose weight because it has become a matter of life and death. Being overweight, and being severely overweight, present many medical complications. Some of these medical conditions include a heart attack, stroke, diabetes, pain in joints, asthma, and many more.

How the Procedure is Performed

An adjustable gastric band is put around the stomach. This forces only a small portion of the stomach to be accessible to food storage. In perfect theory, a person will eat far less calories at each meal while feeling fuller faster. This laparoscopic surgery is incredible effective, and the minimally invasive procedure leaves less room for infection.

Final Thoughts

Do you know someone who has had gastric bypass or lap-band surgery? Tell us their story by commenting below.