There have been numerous scientific presentations and articles recently about the role of genetics in severe obesity and how genotypes can be used to tailor personalized treatment for weight loss surgery patients. The prospect of creating an individually-tailored approach for treating severely obese patients is exciting to the surgical team of the WeightWise Bariatric Program. With this form of medicine, diet could be tailored to one’s DNA, and exercise plans could be created using scientifically validated methods. According to a recent article published in Translating Science, these advances could generate improvements to the quality of life for many obese patients. The changes would also enable doctors to treat patients using their unique genetic make-up and environmental factors. Physicians could take into account a patient’s DNA, combined with a personalized and thorough understanding of their physical fitness level and clinical well-being.
As exciting as these prospects are, currently weight loss surgery is often the only hope for the millions of people suffering from severe obesity. Although a highly effective treatment for obesity, it is a solution that is not without risks or physiological consequences. Through personalized method, physicians would be able to intervene earlier in people at a high-risk for morbid obesity, and for those who need surgery, create an individually-tailored plan to dramatically improve their outcome. The author of the article Dr. Sunil Bhoyrul, explained that “the hope is to be able to make recommendations about the type of surgery our patients need based on their genotype as well as their phenotype. Obesity, like every health care epidemic that mankind has faced so far, can be eradicated – however, it will take a revolution,” he concluded. Deciding to have weight loss surgery, and which procedure to have, is a major decision that Drs. Broussard and Walton can help you make. No one surgery is perfect for everyone, and it’s critical to talk to an expert to understand the way your own body, personality, and preferences can steer your decision. Our weight loss seminars are a good starting point for that education.