As the obesity epidemic in the United States continues to explode, there is growing research on the harmful effects of being overweight.

At the same time, the benefits of bariatric surgery continue to be studied and are showing remarkable results in combating obesity-related health problems.

Some effects of being seriously overweight or obese include:

¢ Sleep apnea
¢ Asthma
¢ Diabetes
¢ High blood pressure
¢ Arthritis
¢ Heart disease
¢ Congestive heart failure
¢ High cholesterol
¢ Liver disease
¢ Urinary stress incontinence
¢ Swelling in the legs and ankles
¢ Infertility
¢ Depression.