David Arterburn, MD, Discusses Bariatric Surgery as Obesity Intervention

Researchers and the American public view the causes of and treatments for obesity very differently, a recent Vox article showed. According to the author, the public generally believes obesity is “caused by a lack of willpower” that can be fixed with diet and exercise, while researchers view obesity as a chronic disease, like cancer.

David Arterburn, MD, an internist at Washington Permanente Medical Group and senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, was among those quoted in the article about bariatric surgery as a weight loss intervention. While the surgery isn’t necessarily saving costs, he explains, it is considered one of the most safe, cost-effective treatments for severe obesity.

Read the full article on the Vox website.