By Carl Green


Medicine is a wide discipline that has several subcategories, which are dedicated to the study of various medical conditions, disorders, and diseases that people suffer from. The branch of medicine that deals with the study of causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity in people is called bariatrics. The medical practitioners who specialize in this branch of medicine are called bariatric physicians or bariatricians. The two terms are used interchangeably. New York is one of the states that have many highly qualified bariatric doctors.

The coining of the term bariatrics happened around 1965. It has its origin from the Greek language. The translation from the Greek language gives the meaning, pertaining to the treatment of weight in the English language. Various approaches to weight loss including behavioral therapy, exercise, and dieting are encompassed in this field. The term also bears other meanings in the medicine profession.

Globally, especially in developed economies, there is a rising medical concern resulting from overweight and obesity. It has been approximated by the CDC in the US that the adult population is obese up to a third or more of the people. With the current trend, approximation show that 44 percent of the population in all states will be obese by 2030. Therefore, more batricians are needed. One is considered to be obese if their body mass index also abbreviated as BMI is 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.

There are a lot of academic qualifications that need to be attained for one to become a bariatrician. A good starting point is graduating with an MD from an accredited school of medicine. Courses in medicine conclude with supervised clinical rotations for two years. Residency program comes afterward. Most residency programs take 3-7 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.

One can further their qualifications if they want. Professional organizations also accredit their members. Bariatrics still a young field and a lot of research is ongoing. Therefore, professionals must keep up with changes in order to be more effective at treating patients.




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