From children to adults, weight problems and associated health-related problems continue to rise. Approximately 60% of people are either overweight or obese. Although one of three people are dieting at any one time, most people fail. And even those who do lose weight, over 90% regain it. Moreover, one study found that dieters usually lose between 5% to 10% of their starting weight but one-third to two-thirds regain more weight than they lost within four to five years. Clearly, dieting in America is not working.

In light of these statistics, a gastric bypass may be the only way some people are able to lose weight and keep it off. However, even with a gastric bypass, you still need to diet and exercise. Therefore, before you decide to have a gastric bypass, you need to seriously think about the lifesyle changes and complications this type of surgery entails, especially considering 10% of the patients regain weight by the third year after the surgery.

The physical health of the patient, the complexity of the procedure, and the skill of the surgeon are all influencing factors in the successfulness of the surgery. Compications after a gastric bypass can be:

• Death - The mortality rate with gastric bypass is 1 in 350 patients. The most common reason for death are infections at the staple line, suture line leaks, a pulmonary ebolism, and respiratory problems. Attorney Herman Prazkier, interviewed by CBS News, said the most common cause of death in his experience is insufficient post-operative care. According to the University of Washington, 1 in 50 people die within one month of having a gastic bypass, and men are more likely to die than women. Furthermore, according to CBS News, if the surgeon is inexperienced that rate jumps up five times.
• Respiratory problems
• Leaking to the intestines or stomach
• Post-operative infections and wound separations
• Bowel obstructions
• Malnutrition, nutritional definciencies, protien deficiencies,and anemia
• Food intolerances
• Increased gas
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Hernia - Laprascopic bypass generally lead to less pain and fewer incisional hernias than open surgery.
• Intestinal stricture - This condition develops when scar tissue causes the stoma to close, and food cannot pass through to the small intestine.
• Pulmonary embolism
• Metabolic bone disease
• Loss of muscle mass
• Osteoporosis
• Hair loss
• Changed bowel habits
• Stomach outlet obstruction
• Gallstones and kidney stones
• Follow-up surgeries to correct any problems that arise. This may occur as often as 10% of the time in the early post-operative stage.
• Surgery to remove excess skin
• Internal bleeding
• Infection
• Gallstones or gall bladder infections
• Gastritis (inflammation of the lining of the stomach)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Early osteoporosis cause by calcium deficiency
• Dumping syndrome - This occurs when a shock-like state develops when food passes into the small intestine too quickly.

Although a gastric bypass can be a serious and potentially fatal surgery and have undesirable side effects afterwards, it may be the only way some people are able to lose weight. In one study, the risk of premature death was reduced by 89% in those who had the surgery compared to those who did not. Another study had similar results. In 66,000 patients who had the surgery, 3% died after 13.6 years compared to 14% who did not have the surgery. Therefore, the benefits can outweigh the potential risks.

If your considering a gastric bypass, it's not a quick fix. However, if you've tried dieting with no success and you qualify for the surgery, it may be option. Just remember, you will still have to diet and exercise. The lifestyle changes are forever. Therefore, take your time in making the decision, and be very careful in choosing your surgeon. The mortality rate is up to five times higher in the hands of an inexperienced surgeon.