An informational seminar for individuals considering surgical weight loss will be held at the Tarrytown Sheraton Hotel in Tarrytown on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is required and can be made by calling (914) 674-9780, ext 303
Two more seminars will be held – One on February 26, 2009 at the Holiday Inn in Fishkill and the last on March 26, 2009 at the Best Western in Nyack on Hudson.
“If you are 75 pounds overweight – or more – you may qualify for a gastric bypass or lap-band procedure,” explains Dominic Artuso, M.D., the leading, local weight loss surgeon with offices in Middletown and Dobbs Ferry.
At the seminar, Dr. Artuso, Director of the New Image Surgical Weight Loss Center at the Community Hospital in Dobbs Ferry, will cover the risks of obesity and the different types of surgery. As one of the few surgeons in the region who has mastered both the laproscopic gastric band surgery and the more traditional and invasive gastric bypass operations, Dr. Artuso is in a unique position to discuss all the “ins and outs” of surgical weight loss. Topics covered will include the life changes necessary to effect permanent weight loss following surgery as well as the emotional and physical support services available.
Obesity is one of the major health problems confronting the U.S. Approximately 50 percent of the population is overweight and over 10 million Americans are morbidly obese, that is, more than 75 pounds over their ideal weight.
“Every day, more and more individuals are diagnosed as suffering from severe obesity,” Dr. Artuso says. “They face increased health risks including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes as well as certain cancers. Excess weight can also cause sleep apnea, as well as arthritis and back pain. In addition low self-esteem and clinical depression are often tied to an individual’s relationship with their weight and quality of life. When previous efforts at weight loss--including medically supervised diets and exercise and behavioral modification programs—fail, surgery may be the only way to avoid premature death.
