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From: Michael (ool-44c7d293.dyn.optonline.net)
Subject: Figures on the cost ($ and health) of weight-loss surgery
Date: May 30, 2005 at 5:53 am PST

The NY Times on Friday had an article on the cost of weight-loss (bariatric) surgery, the figures are quite astonishing. If anything, the economic and health-risk costs should hopefully cause some people to look for more healthy (and cheaper!) solutions. Also, I just finished the China Study, a must read, even if you've read all of Dr. McD's books.

1. 145,00-The number of bariatric procedures performed in 2004
2. 5 percent-the number of patients who had serious cardiovascular complications after bariatric surgery
3. 1 in 200-the death rate after bariatric surgery (some claim that it "could be partly attributed to the poor health of many patients")
4. $117 billion-nation-wide spending on weight-related conditions
5. $3.5 billion-amount spent by patients and insurers on bariatric surgery last year
6. $25,000-average cost of bariatric surgery "but complications can raise a patient's costs to $100,000"

That people are willing to still undergo such a procedure shows how much people want to get healthy. Hopefully they'll be able to understand that there is a cheaper and much healthier way.

Follow Ups:

• My SIL Al Dente 7/05/05 (0)
• Re: Figures on the cost ($ and health) of weight-loss surgery Sunny 6/08/05 (0)
• I have a coworker who lost 100 pounds doing gastric bypass and Chandradee 6/03/05 (0)
• Re: Figures on the cost ($ and health) of weight-loss surgery Portia 5/30/05 (0)

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