The ramifications of being overweight can bring social discrimination as well as increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, gall bladder and other diseases. Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center now offers a Bariatric Surgery Program to help those who are morbidly obese. Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with prevention, control and treatment of obesity. Morbid obesity is defined as being overweight by 100 pounds or more.

Surgery is only one option of the weight loss process. Good Samaritan's Eat Right Nutrition Center provides accurate and up to date information on diet and nutrition for your health and well-being. The Center's professional dietitians help patients meet their nutritional needs with reliable information. A lifestyle commitment follows and Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center is there to help you make this transition.

Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center also offers a Bariatric Support Group that supplies information and continuing support for patients of pre and post surgery status. Meetings are held every other Saturday of each month from 9 am – 10:30 am in the Guild Conference Center, Room 2.

The last option for morbid obesity is bariatric surgery. At Good Samaritan we offer the "gastric bypass" or "gastric banding" procedures. Both surgeries are followed by dramatic and sustained weight loss. The gastric bypass process involves the sealing off of most of the stomach to reduce and control the amount of food that a person can intake. Also, the small intestine is rearranged to reduce the calories the body can absorb. The gastric banding process involves a band made of special material placed around the stomach near its upper end. This creates a small pouch and narrow passage into the larger remainder of the stomach. Potential surgery candidates are morbidly obese people who are determined to safeguard their future and eradicate their struggle with this lifelong, life threatening weight problem.

For more information on the Bariatric Surgery Program or the Eat Right Nutrition Program, please call 631-376-4444.