Patient Resources
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) medical team provides patients of the weight loss surgery program with various resources. This section includes general guidelines for diet and exercise, as well as recommended Web sites for additional support. However, patients should speak directly to their health care providers for specific information about their personal health care.
Websites
Visit the following Web sites to learn more about bariatric surgery:
- American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Helpful information on all aspects of bariatric surgery.
- American Obesity Association. Information for the public and health professionals regarding health effects of obesity and treatment.
- Obesity on-line. A comprehensive site with much information regarding treatment of obesity.
- .Weight-control Information Network (WIN). Reputable and reliable U.S. government-sponsored site with good information on obesity, its prevalence, effects and treatments.
- Obesity Law and Advocacy Center. An advocacy practice devoted to representing the interests of morbidly obese persons in health care and discrimination matters.
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Local Support Groups
PAMF Bariatric Surgery Support Groups
Held monthly at:
- Palo Alto Center
- Mountain View Center
- Sequoia Hospital Support Group
- Stanford Clinics Bariatric Surgery Support Group
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Body Mass Index (BMI)
Some of the above Web sites have sections that will calculate your BMI for you by simply entering your own height and weight.
Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a widely used indicator of how much someone is over- or underweight. It is often used as a guide to which treatments may be appropriate for someone who is overweight and which treatments an insurance company may be willing to pay for. In terms of BMI, "normal weight" is usually defined as a BMI between 18.6 to 24.9; "overweight" as a BMI of 25-29.9, "obesity" a BMI of 30 or more, and "morbid obesity" as a BMI 40 or more.
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