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Millions of individuals in the United States and around the world are overweight or obese (severely overweight). When weight increases to an extreme level, it is called morbid obesity. Obesity is associated with diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, some types of cancer, and other medical problems. Bariatrics is the field of medicine that specializes in treating obesity. Bariatric surgery is the term for operations to help promote weight loss. Bariatric surgical procedures are only considered for people with severe obesity and not for individuals with a mild weight problem. The October 19, 2005, issue of JAMA includes several articles about bariatric surgical procedures for the treatment of obesity.

OBESITY

The body mass index (BMI) is a standard way to define overweight, obesity, and morbid obesity. The BMI is calculated based on a person's height and weight—weight in kilograms (2.2 pounds per kilogram) divided by the square of . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Janet M. Torpy, MD, Writer; Alison Burke, MA, Illustrator; Richard M. Glass, MD, Editor

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