According to a recent report in Endocrinology Advisor, the significant weight loss that typically follows a weight loss surgery is strongly associated with a decline in the risk of heart failure. This is further confirmation of the already extremely well documented health benefits of bariatric surgery. The news also underlines the reality that, while many severely obese weight loss surgery patients may be largely motivated by a desire to improve their appearance, the most important reason to get a procedure is to improve both the quality and length of a person’s life with the help of a number of important health and quality of life benefits. These include:

— Pain Reduction: Even relatively young people with severe obesity often experience more pain following activity than their peers and, of course, the problem only worsens as they age and such issues as arthritis come into play. Reducing the amount of stress and strain placed by excess weight on the muscles and joints means that patients who have lost a great deal of weight with a procedure such as a gastric sleeve can often experience a truly dramatic decrease in their discomfort. The result is that many patients are able to participate in enjoyable and healthy activities they might have previously been forced to avoid.

— Improvements in Blood Sugar/Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes is one of the most common health problems associated with obesity. While the disease can be managed, it increases the risk of countless serious health problems ranging from strokes and heart attacks to kidney failure. Numerous studies have shown that individuals who obtain a bariatric procedure often experience either a dramatic improvement in their blood sugar or, in many cases, a complete remission of the illness.

— Increased Energy and Improved Mood. Many patients suffer from obesity-induced sleep apnea. The condition, associated with loud snoring and constant interruptions in normal sleep, typically causes increased fatigue and a great many serious health risks. Fortunately, dramatic weight loss often brings a dramatic improvement or even an outright disappearance of the condition. Obesity may also be associated with depression, and vanquishing the condition may significantly improve the mood of a great many patients.