Nestor De La Cruz-Munoz, M.D. is Director of Bariatric Surgery at the University of Miami Health System. For information on weight loss surgery and services offered click here or visit the UHealth Collective.
AWARD-WINNING BARIATRIC PROGRAM:
Obesity rates rose during the pandemic, putting Americans health at risk, says Nestor De La Cruz-Munoz, M.D., Director of Bariatric Surgery at the University of Miami Health System.
“About two-thirds of adults are obese, and about 10% are severely obese or morbidly obese. As people gain weight, their life expectancy goes down and their risk of getting disease goes way up,” says Dr. De La Cruz-Munoz.
He says weight loss surgery, such as gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, is proving to help patients who can’t lose weight with diet and exercise alone.
“It changes some of that physiology, changes the hormone levels and the metabolism that makes the body want to weigh less,” Dr. De La Cruz-Munoz says.
Not only do bariatric patients lose weight after surgery, but they also greatly reduce their risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, sleep apnea and diabetes.
“The deaths due to diabetes go down 92%. The deaths due to heart attacks and strokes goes down about 60%. And the deaths due to cancer also goes down about 60%,” Dr. De La Cruz-Munoz explains.
Most recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recognized the long-term benefits of bariatric surgery in children battling obesity.
“They said that the watchful waiting that they’ve been doing to see if the kids would get better over time just wasn’t working,” says Dr. De La Cruz-Munoz.
UHealth’s award-winning bariatric program offers patients better outcomes and a brighter future.
“Take advantage of the motivation. Take advantage of the new year, learn about it and find out if it’s for you,” Dr. De La Cruz-Munoz says.
FOCUSING ON YOU
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