Extremely Overweight Men Have Options
By Nestor de la Cruz Munoz, M.D.
Medical Director, Bariatrics
University of Miami Health System
Obesity impacts more than 40% of men.
In fact, obesity rates are essentially the same between the sexes at 42%, yet men only comprise approximately 20% of patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
For too long, our society has considered metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) a “weight loss” procedure.
This mindset among the public and physicians has led to an under-utilization of this life-saving intervention.
It is well known that obesity plays a major role in all of these disease processes.
Age-adjusted, overall death rates are 30% higher in obese men, due to higher rates of heart disease, vascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
The prevalence of men with severe obesity, which is a BMI of under 40, has risen to 6.9%, with non-Hispanic black rates even higher. Significant and sustained weight loss has also been shown to decrease the prevalence of all of these problems and decrease 10- year mortality by 30-89%.
A focus needs to be placed on the proven health benefits of MBS; particularly its ability to cure Metabolic Syndrome and prevent subsequent heart disease.
To put it plainly, men are dying because they are not being told that they have an option to divert their course from disaster. We encourage all of our patients and health care providers to have frank and early conversations about the benefits of bariatric surgery, just as they would any other treatment option.
At the University of Miami Health System, we have excellent opportunities for overweight and obese men.
We have a strong medical weight loss program, run by Dr. Michelle Pearlman, gastroenterologist, that is dedicated to helping people lose weight through lifestyle means. In addition, the University has the premier bariatric surgery program in Florida. This interdisciplinary program has consistently won awards for outstanding outcomes and low complication rates while serving as the tertiary referral center for complex cases in the region.
Call our men’s health dedicated appointment line at 305-689-2636 to schedule your health check-up or screening today.
Tags: bariatric surgery, Doctor Nestor De la Cruz-Muñoz, Dr. Michelle Pearlman, men's health, obesity
