Places To Find Qualified Bariatric Doctors

By Carl Green


Medicine as a discipline is very wide that it makes sense to subdivide it into smaller division so that each division specializes in a the study of specific medical disorders, diseases, or conditions. One of those branches is bariatrics, which specializes in studying causes, prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of obesity. Medical professionals whose specialty is in this subspecialty of medicine are known as bariatricians or bariatric physicians. These two terms are often applied interchangeably. New York City is one of the location with highly qualified bariatric doctors.

The term bariatrics came into existence in the year 1965. The origin is the Greek language. It means, pertaining to weight treatment, when the word is translated into English. Approaches such as dieting, behavioral therapy, and exercise which aim to cause weight loss are included. The medicine profession has other meanings for the term.

Overweight and obesity are continue to cause medical concern in the whole world, particularly developed states. Of all the American adult population, a third of the people have been estimated to be obese by the CDC. The problem is expected to get worse if the existing trend in obesity goes on. With the trend, by 2030, 44 percent of all Americans in all states will be experiencing some form of obesity. Therefore, more batricians are likely to be needed in the future. Obesity is said to exist if one has their body mass index often abbreviated to BMI placed above 30.

Research has proved that susceptibility to certain health problems is higher in individual who have an BMI value placed above 30. Some of the health conditions they are susceptible to include asthma, heart disease, different forms of cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic musculoskeletal problems, and obstructive sleep apnea. In most cases overweight people cannot solve the problem, making the service of bariatricians very necessary.

Obesity can be treated by many different methods. Anti-obesity drugs, diet, behavior therapy, and exercise are part of the first-line treatment. First-line treatments have proven less effective in producing successful results in the short and long term. That has made weight loss surgery the only major alternative for treating weight problems. The efficiency of surgery is much higher compare to that of first-line treatment in the short-term and long-term.

Becoming a bariatrician is characterized by several academic requirements. Having an MD from a medical school that is recognized is the starting point. Medical school concludes with a two-year period of supervised clinical rotations. After that, one must complete a residency program. The duration of residency programs range between 3 and 7 years.

One must also be licensed to practice. Licensing process comes after completing residency program. There is a licensing exam that American practitioners must take to be licensed. Additionally, there is a board certification in obesity medicine that one must acquire. Candidates are helped with preparation by the board through provision of certification review courses and workshops every year.

Opportunities are available for one to further their qualification. Accreditation is also provided by various professional organizations to members. This field is relatively young and very dynamic. As such, practitioners need to stay abreast with new changes and inventions.




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