Scientists have begun to show that certain people are fatter than others even with the same diet. We suspect that in these individuals weight is controlled as much by genes or hormones as by how much they eat. Typically we gain weight as we age. This weight gain aggravates many medical problems such as arthritis or diabetes. While overweight is to be avoided, mild obesity is rarely life threatening.
Severe obesity is life threatening.
Severe obesity means your weight is twice the normal desirable body weight. To meet the needs of the severely obese patient, I have opened the Center for Surgical Control of Obesity at 330 Orchard Street, New Haven Connecticut. The center is similar to the Obesity Consult Center I directed for more than 10 years in Boston prior to my move to Connecticut. Similar centers have been available in major US cities for many years. Services in Connecticut have been inadequate because of the lack of experienced and interested surgeons.