New York Jets coach, Rex Ryan underwent weight loss surgery on Saturday. The 47 year old Ryan underwent lap-band surgery as an outpatient at New York University in an effort to fight his problem with obesity.

Obesity is a major health problem in the United States, being a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height and provides a reasonable indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems. This is a map of the US from the CDC which shows the percent of obese adults by state.

Weight-loss surgery, medically known as bariatric surgery, produces weight loss by restricting food intake and, in some cases, interfering with nutrition through malabsorption. Bariatric surgery is not a “quick fix” for obesity. Patients who undergo bariatric surgery must also commit to a lifetime of healthy eating and regular physical activity. These healthy habits help ensure that the weight loss from surgery is successfully maintained.

Weight-loss surgery is only recommended for people who have been unable to lose weight with diet and exercise and have:

• A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. Someone with a BMI of 40 or more is at least 100 pounds over their recommended weight. A normal BMI is between 18.5 and 25.
• A BMI of 35 or more and a serious medical condition that might improve with weight loss. Some of these conditions are sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

There are four types of operations that are commonly offered in the United States: adjustable gastric band (AGB), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), biliopancreatic diversion with a duodenal switch (BPD-DS), and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG). Each has its own benefits and risks.

Adjustable Gastric Band (AGB) (sometimes called lap-band surgery)works primarily by decreasing food intake. Food intake is limited by placing a small bracelet-like band around the top of the stomach to produce a small pouch about the size of a thumb (about one ounce, a normal stomach can hold about 3 pints of food). The outlet size is controlled by a circular balloon inside the band that can be inflated or deflated with saline solution to meet the needs of the patient.

Risks for gastric banding are:

• Injury to the stomach, intestines, or other organs during surgery.
• The gastric band may slip partly out of place
• Scarring inside the belly. This could lead to an obstruction (blockage) of the bowel in the future.
• A surgeon may not be able to reach the access port to tighten or loosen the band. Fixing this problem would require a minor operation.
• Gastritis (inflamed stomach lining), heartburn, or stomach ulcers
• Poor nutrition
• Vomiting from eating more than your stomach pouch can hold