Immediate Health Benefits of Weight Loss (And How We Can Help)

If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight isn’t always easy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about half of American adults try to lose weight each year, yet nearly 74% of US adults are still overweight or obese. 

At OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare in San Diego, Encinitas, and Temecula, California, our team knows the struggle to lose weight — and keep it off — is real. That’s why board-certified surgeon James J. Chao, MD, FASC, and our care team use a weight-loss system with a proven track record: the ObalonTM Balloon System. 

If you’re among the majority of Americans with excess pounds to lose, take a moment to learn why losing weight is so important to your health, the immediate benefits it brings, and how we can help you reach your goal weight. 

Why losing weight matters

A healthy weight is defined as one that falls into the “normal” range on the body mass index (BMI) scale (18.5-24.9). If your BMI is 25-29.9, you’re considered overweight. You’re designated “obese” with a BMI of 30 or higher, and “morbidly obese” with a BMI of 40 or higher. 

More people in the United States are overweight or obese than have a healthy body weight. This is cause for concern since a high body mass index causes serious health complications. In fact, the higher your BMI, the higher your risk of death.   

This is because excess weight impacts your entire body, including your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Being overweight or obese is associated with a host of medical and health complications, including:

• Stroke
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
• Cataracts
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Hypoventilation syndrome
• Coronary artery disease
• Pancreatitis
• Diabetes
• Dyslipidemia
• Hypertension
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome
• Infertility
• Abnormal periods
• Most kinds of cancer (e.g., breast, uterus, cervix, prostate, kidney, colon, esophagus, pancreas, liver)
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Venous stasis
• Urinary incontinence
• Mental health disorders

Keep in mind this is only a partial list. Obesity is also associated with a condition called metabolic syndrome, a term used to describe a group of health conditions that occur together and include diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and more.

Immediate health benefits when losing weight

The good news is that if you’re overweight or obese, losing any amount of weight is good for your health. With sustained weight loss, you can stop and in some cases reverse many of the complications associated with a high BMI.

Research indicates that losing as little as 5-10% of your weight brings immediate health benefits, including: 

• Decreased joint pain
• Decreased risk of cancers
• Decreased risk of diabetes
• Decreased risk of heart disease
• Decreased risk of stroke
• Decreased risk or improvement in osteoarthritis
• Decreased risk or improvement in sleep apnea
• Improved blood sugar levels
• Improved cholesterol levels
• Improved mobility
• Lowered blood pressure
• Reduced back pain
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved mental health

Dr. Chao and the team at OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare provide personalized information about the specific and immediate benefits you can expect by losing weight. For example, you may be able to stop taking certain medications or reduce your risk of developing specific conditions.    

How the Obalon Balloon System can help

The FDA-approved Obalon Balloon System uses gastric balloons to take up space in your stomach, helping you feel fuller with less food. The result? You lose the excess pounds faster and enjoy the benefits of a healthy weight sooner.  

There’s no surgery or anesthesia required for placing the balloons. You simply swallow them at your appointment in our office, and our team makes sure they’re in the right place using an X-ray. 

Dr. Chao determines the right number of balloons for your needs, but most of our patients swallow three balloons. The Obalon balloons stay in your stomach for six months, but if you change your mind, you can have them removed at any time. 

When it comes to removal, you can expect light sedation while our team punctures and removes the Obalon balloons. The entire removal process takes about 20 minutes, and you’re free to go home once it’s complete. 

According to clinical research, patients at the one-year mark were able to keep off 89% of weight lost when they followed a healthy diet and exercise plan. Obalon candidates must have a BMI of 30-40 and be committed to making healthy lifestyle changes. 

Get started on the path to better health with the help of the Obalon Balloon System and OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare. Contact the office nearest you to schedule or book a consultation online now.