Obesity is the excess accumulation of body fat

• The World Health Organization in 1997 declared obesity as a disease.
• More than 1 billion people worldwide are overweight and at least 300 million of them are obese.
• An estimated 115 million of the people will develop serious medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, hypertension, severe knee and back pains, and cancer.
• In the Philippines, there are more than 3 million overweight and obese Filipinos and more than 600,000 of them are morbidly obese.
• In the United States and Australia, 60% of the population is overweight and obese.

Obesity could be a combination of the following:

• The genes you inherited from your parents
• How well your body turns food into energy
• Your eating and exercising habits
• Your surroundings
• Psychological factors

Compared to people of normal weight, obese people have a 50% to 100% increased risk of dying prematurely

• Diabetes
• Joint problems (e.g., arthritis)
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Gallbladder problems
• Certain types of cancer (breast, uterine, colon)
• Digestive disorders (e.g., gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GORD)
• Breathing difficulties (e.g., sleep apnea, asthma)
• Psychological problems such as depression
• Problems with fertility and pregnancy
• Urinary Incontinence
• Shorter Life Expectancy

• Negative self-image
• Social isolation
• Discrimination

• Normal tasks become harder when you are obese, as movement is more difficult
• You tend to tire more quickly and you find yourself short of breath
• Public transport seats, telephone booths, and cars may be too small for you
• You may find it difficult to maintain personal hygiene

Non-Surgical Treatment

Dieting, exercise, and medication have long been regarded as the conventional methods to achieve weight loss. Sometimes, these efforts are successful in the short term. However, for people who are morbidly obese, the results rarely last. For many, this can translate into what's called the "yo-yo syndrome," where patients continually gain and lose weight with the possibility of serious psychological and health consequences. Recent research reveals that conventional methods of weight loss generally fail to produce permanent weight loss. Several studies have shown that patients on diets, exercise programs, or medication are able to lose approximately 10% of their body weight but tend to regain two-thirds of it within one year, and almost all of it within five years**. Another study found that less than 5% of patients in weight loss programs were able to maintain their reduced weight after five years*. The BIB® System or BioEnterics® Intragastric Balloon System is a conservative, non-surgical, non-pharmaceutical aid in the treatment of obesity and weight reduction. Click here to find out more about Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon (BIB) System.

Surgical Treatments

Over the years, weight-loss surgery has proven to be a successful method for the treatment of morbid obesity#.   Options included are:

• BioEnterics® LAP-BAND
• Laparoscopic Gastric Band
• Laparoscopic gastric Bypass
• Sleeve Gastrectomy
• Stomach stapling or Gastroplasty
• Malabsorptive procedures

Fortunately, surgical options have continued to evolve and we are pleased to be able to offer patients the BioEnterics® LAP-BAND surgery. This procedure is the least traumatic and the only adjustable and reversible obesity surgery available in the United States. The LAP-BAND System provides a unique tool that can help you achieve and maintain significant weight loss, improve your health, and enhance your quality of life.