UC Center for Surgical Weight Loss Hosts 'Walk from Obesity'

More than 100 local weight-loss surgery patients will symbolically “walk away” from a life of excessive weight gain at the second annual Walk from Obesity, presented by the

UC Center for Surgical Weight Loss.

A nationwide effort, the local walk will begin at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 24, at Winton Woods, 1024 Winton Rd., Greenhills. All proceeds will benefit the American Society for Bariatric Surgery Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to national research related to the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity.

According to the American Obesity Association, nearly 30 percent of adults and 15 percent of children in the United States are obese. The second leading cause of preventable death in the nation, obesity and its related health conditions result in 1,000 deaths daily.

Research has shown that obesity—defined as an increase in body weight from the accumulation of stored, excess fat—is caused by a mixture of factors, including genetics, personal environment and behavior.

“We’re seeing obesity increase at alarming rates—65 percent of American adults are considered overweight,” said Calvin Selwyn, MD, assistant professor of surgery and bariatric surgeon with the UC Center for Surgical Weight Loss. “Our goal is to offer an alternative to those who have tried and failed all other methods of weight loss and need a reliable tool to achieve a better quality of life and improve, resolve or prevent many of the diseases related to obesity.”

Obesity severity is measured in pounds over ideal body weight. For example, 20 to 50 pounds is considered mild obesity, whereas people more than 100 pounds overweight are considered morbidly obese.

Morbidly obese people are at increased risk for other illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoarthritis and respiratory problems.

Bariatric weight-loss surgery (gastric bypass) reduces a patient’s stomach size to limit the amount of food the body can digest. The procedure is only available to morbidly obese patients who have tried traditional weight-loss strategies and failed.

Registration for the walk is $25 per person, which will be donated to the ASBS Foundation. For more information, visit

www.walkfromobesity.com

or call Pam Fieler at (513) 475-7770. Participants can register the day of the event, starting at 9 a.m.