Benefits of Losing Weight

Benefits of Losing Weight

There are many benefits to losing weight. Staying at a healthy weight isn't always about looking good but can play a key role in your overall well-being. Certain health conditions can significantly improve after losing weight.

Before beginning a weight loss journey, it's important to consider how being healthy can improve your life, benefiting physical, social, or psychological health. Key benefits can include:

Types of Weight Loss Surgery

Types of Weight Loss Surgery

There are various types of weight loss surgeries designed to help you lose excess weight safely and sustainably. Your bariatric surgeon will discuss the right option depending on your situation.

Surgical weight loss

  • Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass involves creating a small pouch from the stomach and connecting it directly to the small intestine. After the procedure, food will go directly to this smaller stomach and into the small intestine.
  • Sleeve gastrectomy: Sleeve gastrectomy, or vertical sleeve gastrectomy, is a laparoscopic procedure that removes upwards of 80 percent of the stomach. Small incisions are made in the upper abdomen, leaving a tube-shaped stomach about the size and shape of a banana.
  • Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch: With this type of bariatric surgery, part of the stomach is removed and reattached to the end of the small intestine, allowing bile and pancreatic digestive juices to flow into this part of the intestine.
  • Single anastomosis duodenal ileostomy/switch (SADI/SIPS) procedure: This combines a sleeve gastrectomy and an intestinal bypass. The procedure may help individuals achieve significant weight loss and improve metabolic conditions such as diabetes.
  • Laparoscopic gastric banding: A band is placed around the upper part of your stomach to create a small pouch to hold food. This procedure limits the amount of food you can eat and makes you feel full soon after eating small amounts of food.
  • Staged or revisional procedures: This surgical procedure is done to correct any complications from a prior weight loss surgical procedure.

Both NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell are national leaders in robotic weight loss surgery, which enables the surgeon to operate with enhanced visualization, dexterity, and precision and to complete certain movements and maneuvers more effectively. You may be eligible to undergo one or a combination of other weight loss surgeries.

If bariatric surgery procedures are not an option for you and your body mass index (BMI) is between 30 and 40, you may be eligible for an endoscopic procedure.

An interventional endoscopist performs these procedures, inserting a flexible scope through your mouth into your esophagus to perform the procedure in your stomach. These include:

Endoscopic weight loss

  • Endoscopic gastroplasty ("sleeve" gastroplasty): This minimally invasive weight loss procedure uses an endoscopic device to reduce the stomach's size by about 70 percent.
  • Intragastric balloon: A weight-loss procedure where a saline-filled silicone balloon is placed in the stomach to limit food intake.

Leaders in Weight Loss Surgery

Leaders in Weight Loss Surgery

Our world-renowned surgeons have pioneered innovative procedures at the forefront of weight loss techniques and laparoscopic approaches for a broad range of digestive disorders. Our weight loss programs feature renowned experts in weight management, including bariatric surgeons.

Surgeons from all over the world travel to NewYork-Presbyterian to train under their direction.

A Center of Excellence in Weight Loss Surgery

A Center of Excellence in Weight Loss Surgery

The American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) has accredited NewYork-Presbyterian as a Comprehensive Center with Adolescent Qualifications in bariatric surgery.

The highest designation. The Bariatric Surgery Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and the Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center were each awarded the highest possible designation in recognition of our surgeons' unique ability to offer our patients the best care available.

The American College of Surgeons defines Comprehensive Centers with Adolescent Qualifications as providing complete specialized care for all patients, including those with the most challenging and complex conditions.

We were also one of 10 clinical centers in the United States to be part of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS), a National Institutes of Health consortium that evaluates bariatric procedures.

A Collaborative Team to Help You Lose Weight

A Collaborative Team to Help You Lose Weight

Your team includes surgeons, interventional endoscopists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists (hormone specialists with experience in medical weight loss approaches), registered dietitians, nurses, social workers, and others with the compassion and experience to provide the care you need and support your weight loss goals.

We also offer support groups for anyone considering surgery, those who have had surgery, or your family members or friends. If you need to see another medical or surgical specialist, NewYork-Presbyterian has those doctors on staff, too. You can receive all the care you need in one medical center.

Get Care

Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Weight Loss Care

Obesity is a major contributing factor to many illnesses, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Getting down to a healthy body weight can improve such conditions for many individuals, and weight loss surgery offers a sustainable option. If weight loss surgery is something you're considering, call us to learn how we can help.