South Dakota Find a Local Bariatric Surgeon

Perhaps you have heard media reports about America’s obesity epidemic with increasing frequency in recent years, but you may be wondering what this means for your community.  A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that, in 2008, South Dakota’s obesity rate was 27.5%; these data do not reflect overweight individuals, which represent another category that could potentially lead to obesity.  Because obesity is a demonstrated risk factor for numerous health conditions ranging from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to heart disease and diabetes, many practicing physicians, political figures, and scholars have become concerned about these rates throughout the country. 

Studies have shown that, to reduce risk, obese individuals need to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.  However, for many, programs of diet and exercise are not able to produce the desired weight loss in an ideal timeframe.  Therefore, patients and providers are increasingly discussing the topic of weight loss surgery procedures such as, for example, lap band or gastric bypass surgery.  In addition to assisting with weight loss and thereby decreasing your risk of developing an associated health problem, undergoing one of these procedures has the potential to lessen or even completely ameliorate existing symptoms from one of the earlier-described complications. 

If you have been diagnosed with obesity and, potentially, an obesity-linked health issue, you may want to consider asking your doctor for a referral to a surgeon at such South Dakota medical facilities as Avera McKennan Hospital.  Also, use the links below for specific areas.

Locate Gastric Surgeons and clinics in your area.