Obesity in the US and Effectiveness of the Treatment Measures - Essay Example

Such factors as body weight and secondary complications can help in understanding the effectiveness of bariatric surgery for treating obesity. Type 2 diabetes is a significant health problem among obese patients. Empirical studies have been conducted to establish possible results that bariatric surgery has on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among obese people. One of the studies developed its knowledge from existing literature over a range of 16 years and revealed that more than ten percent of reported cases of bariatric surgery resulted in remission of type 2 diabetes among the patients. More than two percent of the involved participants achieved remission of type 2 diabetes because of the surgery. Consideration of body weight management among the patients also demonstrated success. Almost 90 percent of research participants achieved an average of about 56 percent weight loss (Buchwald, 2009). Different procedures for bariatric surgery also showed significance in the effectiveness of the treatment measure. Biliopancreatic diversion, for instance, led to higher treatment effectiveness than gastric bypass and banding procedures. Bariatric surgery also reported significant effects in managing insulin levels in obese patients. The study identified lower percentages of patients who reported the significance of the treatment measure. These results are valid because of the longitudinal approach and the many studies and participants that the study considered. This means that a patient has a high chance of treating obesity and its associated complications through bariatric surgery. Biliopancreatic diversion is the best of the surgery options (Buchwald, 2009).

Gastric bypass surgery is an effective bariatric approach among patients with critical obese conditions. An empirical approach that employed a quasi-experimental design observed remission of diabetes among the participants over a six-year period. Before the study’s intervention, the patients had persistent diabetes and traditional insulin treatment offered no remedy. The bypass surgery however ensured remission in up to 88 percent of the considered participants, as observed over the study’s duration. Some of the factors that regulate glucose level did not show a significant relationship with weight loss but the patients’ ability to regulate their glucose level improved. The application of the surgical approach is also safe from complications, as the research did not report such adverse effects as excess weight loss, disability, or even death. The patients’ bodies were also able to manage other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases. The research design and its longitudinal approach offer reliability and validity measures. The high rate of effectiveness of the bariatric approach means that it has a high probability of controlling obesity and its secondary conditions such as hypertension (Cohen et. al, 2012).

In another empirical study in which researchers sought to explore the potential benefits of gastric bypass surgery, similar effects, as observed under mild obese conditions, were noted. The researchers acknowledged the scarcity of knowledge on the long-term effects of the surgery on severe obesity cases. An experimental study was conducted among patients who sought and received the surgery, those who sought but could not receive the surgery, and those who did not seek and did not receive the surgery. The patients who received gastric bypass surgery reported higher probabilities of remission of their obese conditions and risks of associated complications to obesity reduced. The study offers validity and confidence that the researchers’ design demonstrates consistency with other research findings. These confirm that the bariatric approach to the treatment of obesity is effective and helps in the management of other health complications that are associated with obesity.

Gastric bypass has also been associated with several disadvantages. It is slower than other bariatric measures and requires strict monitoring. It is also associated with medical complications such as the need for implantations and possible infections in the operated area (Green, 2012).

Empirical studies offer consistent results on the effectiveness of gastric bypass surgery in managing obesity and its associated health conditions. Results associate the treatment measure with a high probability of remission of obesity condition and reduced risks of associated health complications. The treatment measure reports no significant side effects. The approach may not be the most effective of bariatric measures but it is effective and has no adverse effects. The surgery is therefore recommended for obese patients who are not able to manage their conditions through natural approaches such as physical activity and proper nutrition.