The 411 on Weight Loss Surgery

What you need to know about the bariatric procedure.

Celebrities and Bariatric Surgery - Recent news reported that EJ Johnson, reality star and son of Magic Johnson, has lost 50 pounds due to weight loss surgery. He isn’t alone. Other Black celebs, from Al Sharpton to Star Jones, have used this procedure to battle obesity. But what is it exactly? Read about the four different types of weight loss surgery, their dangers and whether or not they're for you.—Kellee Terrell(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for People Magazine)

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Celebrities and Bariatric Surgery - Recent news reported that EJ Johnson, reality star and son of Magic Johnson, has lost 50 pounds due to weight loss surgery. He isn’t alone. Other Black celebs, from Al Sharpton to Star Jones, have used this procedure to battle obesity. But what is it exactly? Read about the four different types of weight loss surgery, their dangers and whether or not they're for you.—Kellee Terrell(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for People Magazine)

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Who Should Get It? - Possible candidates for weight loss surgery include: Being more than 100 pounds overweight; having a Body Mass Index of 40 or more; having a BMI of 35 or more and chronic health issues such as diabetes, back pain, fatty liver and hypertension; and an inability to keep a healthy weight, even with a doctor’s help. (Photo: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images)

Health Rewind: Is DNA to Blame for High Obesity Rates Among Blacks? - A recent study suggests that DNA may be behind Black obesity rates in the U.S. Researchers from Dartmouth found that African-Americans have three variant genes that predispose us to obesity and a higher Body Mass Index (BMI), reported the Huffington Post. Unhealthy eating and lack of exercise also play a huge role too.  (Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

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Teens and Weight Loss Surgery - Weight loss surgery isn’t as common among teens, but may be an option for those who are extremely obese. While there have been safety concerns for teens, a 2013 study found that there were very few short term complications with weight loss surgery among teens. (Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

Complications - Measles are not a game. Around 30 percent of people with measles will be hospitalized for pneumonia, ear infections, diarrhea and/or swelling of the brain. Also, one to two of every 1,000 kids with measles will die from the virus. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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African-Americans and Weight Loss Surgery - A 2013 study found that African-Americans are half as likely as whites to go under the knife to lose weight. Researchers found that even though Black men and women had higher rates of being eligible for the surgery, we were more likely to not get the surgery. Lack or type of health insurance plays a factor in this disparity. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Gastric Bypass - This procedure consists of a surgeon carving out a small pouch from your stomach. This pouch can’t hold a lot of food and the food you eat “bypasses” the stomach and goes to the pouch and then to the intestine. This way, your body doesn’t absorb as much food. The most popular forms of this are Roux-en-Y and Extensive gastric bypass.(Photo: SHUBHANGI GANESHRAO KENE/Science Photo Library/Corbis)

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Gastric Bypass - This procedure consists of a surgeon carving out a small pouch from your stomach. This pouch can’t hold a lot of food and the food you eat “bypasses” the stomach and goes to the pouch and then to the intestine. This way, your body doesn’t absorb as much food. The most popular forms of this are Roux-en-Y and Extensive gastric bypass.(Photo: SHUBHANGI GANESHRAO KENE/Science Photo Library/Corbis)

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Adjustable Gastric Band - This procedure, which is the least invasive of all weight loss surgeries, is when a surgeon makes small cuts in the stomach and puts a band across the top of the stomach. A person can only consume food that will fit into this small pouch. (Photo: Nucleus Medical Media/Visuals Un/Visuals Unlimited/Corbis)

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Adjustable Gastric Band - This procedure, which is the least invasive of all weight loss surgeries, is when a surgeon makes small cuts in the stomach and puts a band across the top of the stomach. A person can only consume food that will fit into this small pouch. (Photo: Nucleus Medical Media/Visuals Un/Visuals Unlimited/Corbis)

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Gastric Sleeve - This invasive surgery requires the surgeon to open up your abdomen and remove part of your stomach, leaving behind a smaller version that will help you eat less and lose weight. 

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Duodenal Switch - This is the least common form of weight loss surgery and is only performed by a few doctors across the U.S. Most of the patient’s stomach is removed by cutting and, as a result, they are left with a stomach the size of a long slender tube.(Photo: Charles Mann/GettyImages)

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Common Side Effects - While weight loss surgery can be safe for many, there can be complications in up to 50 percent of patients, including: nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, excessive sweating, increased gas, dizziness and gallstones. Also, excess skin is common with weight loss surgery and may have to be removed. (Photo: i love images/Getty Images)

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Serious Complications - Serious complications can include the stomach stretching back to its original size; the band closing off part of the stomach and disintegrating; the band and staples falling apart, reversing the procedure; stomach acid leaking into the body; and being deficient of much-needed nutrients and vitamins. (Photo: Plush Studios/Getty Images)

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Calling Girls “Fat” May Increase Their Risk for Obesity - Telling girls that they are “fat” can increase their risk of obesity. Researchers found that girls (both Black and white) who were ridiculed were 1.66 times more likely to be obese by the age of 19. It’s believed that this negativity can help foster feelings of despair and usher in even more unhealthy lifestyle choices, HealthDay writes.(Photo: GettyImages)

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Does It Work, Though? - There are success stories! Most people who have weight loss surgery lost a lot of weight in the first 18-24 months. Web MD writes that after that people can begin to gain some weight back, but it’s rare to gain back all of their weight. (Photo: Stockbyte/Getty Images)

Weight Wonders - Did you know that losing one pound a week is equivalent to four sticks of butter? For realz. And it’s easier than you might think. (No crazy fad diets needed.) Here are some healthy and easy ways to achieve this goal. By Kellee Terrell (Photo: JPM/cultura/Corbis)

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Weight Loss Surgery Is Not a Quick Fix - Weight loss surgery doesn’t mean that you can eat what you want and not be active. The key to keeping the weight off is doing the work!(Photo: JPM/cultura/Corbis)

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