Almost 65 percent of Americans are overweight, increasing their risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, as well as other diseases. Since the 60s a weight loss surgery called bariatric operations have been available but it is not until recent times that the procedures have become well- known. The celebrity, high-profile patients that have undergone weight loss surgery with successful outcomes have dramatically increased the number of surgeries sought in recent years.

Over the past ten years, weight loss surgery has become increasingly popular. In 2004, the number of gastric bypass surgeries is expected on 145,000 patients, accounting for an 800 percent increase in weight loss surgery in 11 years. The laparoscopic weight loss surgery approach has become much more popular and some experts predict it will eventually account for over two thirds of all weight loss surgeries performed. Opposed to traditional weight loss surgery, the laparoscopic approach uses a bunch of small incisions instead of one large one.

Laparoscopic weight loss surgery technique cuts several inch-long incisions into the abdomen so that video equipped instruments into the chest can allow for the use of TV monitors to observe the operation. The shorter recovery time, less pain, less risk of hernias and less scarring makes the laparoscopic weight loss surgery appealing, though the heaviest people and people who have previously undergone stomach surgeries may not qualify.

More surgeons are seeing dramatic increases in laparoscopic weight loss surgery requests, and in response to this more doctors have been driven to offer the surgery. While weight loss surgery can be very expensive, with laparoscopic surgeries ranging from $25,000, many insurance companies no longer cover them because of the side effects that can include gallstones, hernias, and nutritional deficiencies. Still, when performed by qualified and experienced surgeons, weight loss surgery can save lives endangered by severe obesity.

As more doctors are trying to reap some of the financial benefits of the increasingly popular weight loss surgeries, it is essential to find a surgeon with the necessary training and reputation to reduce the very dangerous risks a weight loss surgery can be associated to. The weight loss surgery can shrink the stomach causing patients to eat less. Patients must be able to adapt to a healthier lifestyle as a result, by not relying just on the weight loss surgery but also on eating better and working out. Weight loss surgery can allow for dramatic changes in a person's life when used as a tool for positive change.

Weight loss surgery will continue to change and improve as research and science is able to find safer and more efficient ways to perform the surgeries. Due to the risks that weight loss surgery has been linked to, all patients should become better educated and informed about both the benefits and the risks before deciding if the procedure is right for them. The high profile weight loss surgery patients have allowed for patients to be better educated about the procedures that they learn about on the radio and on television shows, but each patient carries different risks.