David Arterburn, MD, shares expertise on obesity surgery in AP article

David E. Arterburn, MD, MPH, an internal medicine physician with the Washington Permanente Medical Group, shared his expertise with The Associated Press (AP) on the increasing number of people going back a second time for surgery to aid with weight loss.

The epidemic of obesity in the United States has led many Americans to seek surgical options to lose weight. The AP article examines why individuals are returning for follow-up surgeries and details the many options currently available. Procedure methods may vary, but most of them, such as bariatric surgery, shrink the stomach to limit food intake and promote weight loss. While these surgeries can result in significant weight loss, the AP report said results aren’t guaranteed and some people regain the weight after some time.

In the article, Dr. Arterburn told the AP that it’s important for patients to understand their options before going into surgery because the risk of complications can increase with follow-up procedures.

Dr. Arterburn, who studies weight loss as a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, added that people should arrange consults with surgeons who are familiar with performing different procedures in order to identify what best fits their needs.

Read the full story on The Associated Press website.