Morbid obesity exists when excess weight is associated with undesirable implications for general health and when:

• a person weighs at least twice his or her ideal weight

or

• a person weighs at least 100 lbs. (45 kilos) more than his or her ideal weight.

The above statements provide only a general description of morbid obesity. The exact degree of excess weight is determined using the Body Mass Index (BMI), which employs both weight and height to calculate the measurement. We use the term "morbid obesity" because this degree of excess weight may considerably reduce life expectancy and is associated with an increased risk of developing conditions or diseases such as:

• Diabetes

• High blood pressure

• Joint problems

• Gallstones

• Cerebral infarction

• Heart and vascular diseases

• Psychosocial problems

With sufficient weight loss, your health can be improved, your risk of developing associated conditions or diseases can be reduced, and the quality of your life can be enhanced.

How Can You Lose Weight?

Non-surgical intervention:

Many overweight people have tried and failed to lose unhealthy excess weight. There are many slimming diets, "cures" and products that advertise success. However, numerous studies have demonstrated that diets and weight-loss aids rarely succeed in helping people achieve the desired result of long-lasting weight reduction. In fact, many people have succeeded in losing weight only to regain it when they stop dieting.

Surgery:

If diets, exercise programs, and other non-surgical methods have failed to help you achieve long-term weight loss, you may want to consider an operation to artificially reduce the capacity of the stomach and to help decrease your appetite. The LAP-BAND System's innovative surgical technology can help you attain desirable weight-loss results.

The LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System

The word LAP-BAND is the abbreviated and trademarked combination of two words (LAP from laparoscopic and BAND from gastric band).