Dallas Weight Loss Surgeon Says Access To Obesity Treatment Needs to Increase… and Soon

DALLAS, TX--(Marketwired - Oct 29, 2014) - Obesity rates have been climbing to epidemic status in this country, and the American Medical Association (AMA) has recently classified the condition as a disease. This new classification has the potential to create a significant impact on the way people pursue treatment for morbid obesity. Dr. David Kim, a Dallas bariatric surgeon, recently authored a series of blog posts discussing what he sees as the good news and bad news resulting from the AMA's decision -- and what he believes the response to a disease that impacts one out of three Americans should entail.

"Since so many Americans are obese, you would think access to care for these individuals would increase," says Dr. Kim in "Is Obesity A Disease?" However, Dr. Kim notes, after the decision to classify obesity as a disease, no significant changes have been made as far as policy or health care is concerned. It is Dr. Kim's hope that the AMA's new classification is simply the first of many steps toward improving the ability of a person to see the necessary dietitians, family practice doctors, and bariatric surgeons who can help them explore their options. As he states in his blog post titled "Is Bariatric Surgery Necessary For Success?", Dr. Kim highlights that only 2% of obese individuals who attempt to combat the disease with diet and exercise alone accomplish their weight loss goals. "Insurance companies and employers together need to see this disease as a growing problem and realize that giving everyone a gym membership is not going to automatically fix anything."

According to Dr. Kim, obesity treatment requires a multifaceted approach since the disease is caused by multiple factors. In "What Is The Best Way To Treat Obesity?", he says "bariatric surgeries such as gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding can jumpstart your recovery," but also notes that exercise programs, nutrition education, and support systems are essential for optimal results. However, as Dr. Kim points out in his blog post "Are More People Choosing Bariatric Surgery?", the number of patients he has seen in recent years for weight loss surgery procedures, such as gastric sleeve surgery, has actually decreased in spite of the rising rates of obesity in America. This is partly due, Dr. Kim says, to a refusal of insurance companies to alter their current policies. "Even though obesity is now officially considered a disease, the barriers [to proper care] have not been decreased," says Dr. Kim, adding that "obesity's prevalence continues -- and will continue -- to grow until there is some legislative change."

About David D. Kim, MD
The founder and medical director of Kim Bariatric Institute, Dr. David Kim is known as the first weight loss surgeon in Fort Worth to perform a laparoscopic gastric bypass operation. He is also the creator of The David Kim Inverted Gastric Sleeve™, a technique designed to enhance the benefits of traditional gastric sleeve surgery. Dr. Kim has been designated a "Surgeon of Excellence" by The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (formerly known as the American Society for Bariatric Surgery), and has been recognized by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd. as a "Top Doctor" in the U.S. In addition to being certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Kim is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. He is available for interview upon request.

For more information about Kim Bariatric Institute, visit drdkim.net and facebook.com/kimbariatrics.

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