200,000 People Headed Down The Wrong Path

I came across this New York Times article which estimates that between 175,000 and 200,000 weight-loss surgeries will be performed this year, at a clip of roughly $30,000 for the surgery and follow-up care.

I am really stunned at these numbers.  This is just a poor choice, but I believe it's more likely an uneducated choice rather than an intentionally bad decision.  Losing weight via diet and exercise is possible, whether a person is overweight, obese, or even severely obese, as various studies have shown.

I am not a doctor, but I would think only in life-threatening situations should a person embark on such a risky procedure.  The NYT article also pointed out that 4 out of every 10 patients who undergo weight-loss surgery develop complications within six months.  Frankly, I'm surprised this number isn't higher.  I bet that over a year or two, this percentage of patients with complications would increase substantially.

If anyone out there is considering such a risky surgery, I would strenously advise against it.