Weight Loss Surgery's Value Underlined by Research Finding Post-COVID Illnesses More Likely for Obese Patients, says West Medical

LOS ANGELES, June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A June 3 article on United Press International reports on a study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, which found that obese patients were substantially more likely to suffer long-term effects of COVID-19 infection. Researchers found that 44% of obese patients in the study revisited a hospital for secondary illnesses related to their initial COVID-19 infection. The article also notes that obese patients are three times as likely to be hospitalized for the initial infection and 60% more likely to die from it. Southern California-based weight loss and medical center West Medical says obese patients' disproportional risk for COVID-19-related complications and death highlights the extreme importance of losing excess weight.

West Medical notes that obesity places undue stress on the body, particularly the respiratory system, which could weaken its ability to fight off COVID-19 infection. The weight loss center says if patients want more motivations for losing excess weight, obesity is strongly linked to a significant number of additional illnesses that threaten an individual's quality of life and can end it prematurely. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, hypertension, systemic inflammation, several types of cancer, and more are all potential consequences of obesity, the center notes.

West Medical says there is reason for hope, though: losing even 10 to 15 pounds can make a real difference for obese patients, even if their BMI is still above what is considered safe. Diet and exercise are generally a good place to start, the center adds, but maintaining long-term weight loss beyond a small amount of weight can be exceedingly difficult without medical intervention. Hormonally driven urges ? essentially chemical survival instincts remaining from the many thousands of years when famine was a genuine risk for nearly all of humanity ? may kick in when the body senses a drastic decrease in weight and reduced caloric intake. The resulting incessant urges can make major long-term weight loss almost impossible, the center notes.

West Medical says weight loss surgery such as a gastric sleeve procedure with additional medical support can provide the extra edge that obese patients need to beat the body's mechanisms for weight preservation. This procedure in particular can counteract these biological processes by reducing hormone production, paving the way for sustained weight loss and a healthier future.

Readers can learn more about medically assisted weight loss by visiting West Medical's website at https://westmedical.com/ or calling (855) 690-0565. The medical group has offices throughout Greater Los Angeles and Southern California.

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West Medical, West Medical, (855) 690-0565, [email protected]

SOURCE West Medical