Obesity Continues to Rise: Alarming Statistics Promote Change

by PlacidWay

Americans are fast becoming known as some of the old most obese an overweight in global populations. This is both worrisome and embarrassing to those living in the U.S., where, according to recent statistics. According to veteran news writer Bill Hendrick, writing for WebMD, obesity rates have increased in nearly half of the states in America in the past year, with 38 states admitting that obesity rates have risen over 25%. The highest obesity rates are found in the south, with Mississippi earning the dubious distinction of being the most obese state in the Union.

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A Growing Problem: Teen Obesity

by PlacidWay
Teen obesity has reached nearly epidemic proportions in recent years. The American Heart Association and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that between 15% and 33% of adolescents in the United States alone are overweight. The increase in overweight and obese teenagers has also increased the number of teens being diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and other physical problems.

Obesity is defined as a body weight roughly 10% higher than recommended according to body type and height. Unfortunately, obesity causes an alarming 300,000 deaths annually in the United States alone, at a cost of nearly 1 billion dollars a year.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, medical conditions and disorders are responsible for approximately 1% of all teens diagnosed as being overweight or obese, while overeating and lack of exercise make up the majority.

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Laparoscopic Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass Package in Argentina

Unable to lose weight !! Exclusive Laparoscopic Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass Package from $12,500

Invest in your life… morbid obesity is a very serious illness which threatens your life and ruins your life quality… become a new you!

Gastric bypass surgery will help reduce your weight if you have been unable to lose weight with other treatments or if obesity is causing significant health concerns.

Complete Laparoscopic Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass Package from USD $12,500

Services included in package price:

• All pre and post surgery consultations
• Medical fees
• Hospitalization as many nights as you will required
• Clinic expenses
• Cardiologist on surgery room
• Anesthesia
• Bilingual assistant
• Cell phone to reach the staff without charge
• Transfers to medical appointments
• Round trip from the airport
• Check up prior surgery with EKG, complete blood work, risk assessment and pre-surgical evaluation
• Psychological evaluation prior surgery
• Nutritional evaluation prior surgery and after surgery
• All pre surgical exams required prior surgery according to your medical records and current health situation
• Private clinic with your private room and nurse during your stay

Accommodation:
Our price does not include accommodation. We can make appropriate arrangement for you based on your specific needs.

Please click here to request additional information from Dr. Marco More.

*Please note: Surgery prices quoted are for planning purposes only to assist you in budgeting. These prices are for standard, non-complicated cases. Actual prices cannot be accurately provided until you have been thoroughly examined by the surgeon.

Obesity: A Growing Problem

by PlacidWay

Obesity: A Growing Problem

Obesity is a growing problem in the U.S. Not only does obesity cause a multitude of health and medical problems, it’s costing billions of dollars in rising healthcare costs. According to the CDC, costs associated with healthcare caused by obesity have reached alarming rates. In the past twenty years, obesity has risen nearly 30% throughout the country.

What is Overweight?
Health care providers determine whether a person is overweight or obese by taking a look at an individual’s BMI (Body Mass Index). How is this BMI calculated? Basically, the BMI is calculated by age, gender, height and weight. Using a CDC reference chart for example:

Height	Weight Range	BMI	Considered
5’9”	124 pounds or less	Below 18.5	Underweight
	125 to 168	18.5 to 24.9	Healthy weight
	169 to 202	25.0 to 29.9	Overweight
	203 pounds or more	30.0 or higher	Obese

How do you calculate the BMI?

A body mass index table will assess your height and weight to give you a rough idea of what your body mass index reading is. If you want to calculate it yourself, here’s the formula:

 BMI = (weight in pounds x 703) / height in inches squared

So, for example, a person weighs 185 pound and stands 5’9” (69 inches – 4761 inches squared). 185 x 703 = 130055. Divide by 4761 and you get 27.31674. Round off to 27.31. Look at the chart. This person falls in the ‘Overweight’ category.

Now, keep in mind that the BMI is just an average. There are different BMIs for children, teens and adults. The BMI can’t assess genetic or heredity information, environment, or metabolism. It’s used as a guide to help individuals track and maintain healthy weight averages.

How Did We Get Here?
Most obesity in the first decade of the 21st century is blamed on socioeconomic changes in our environment. With a fast food restaurant on every corner that offers, fast, convenient foods and drinks, eating a well balanced and nutritiously prepared meal at home is considered almost boring these days.
Unfortunately, such fast food is loaded with sugar and high-fat content. Coupled with decreasing amounts of exercise, it’s hardly surprising that Americans have created bulging bellies and jiggling read ends. What’s worse, the fat is killing us.

High cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are afflicting younger people than ever before. Obesity holds the dubious recognition of being ranked among one of the highest causes of death-related illnesses and disease processes, including complications stemming from heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Help is Out There
Individuals who find themselves chronically or morbidly obese can get help. Today, numerous surgeries and procedures provide a variety of treatments that may help a person retain healthy weight and physical conditioning. Such procedures include but are not limited to:

• Weight-Loss Medications
• Bariatric Surgery
• Gastroplasty
• Lap Banding
• Sleeve Gastrectomy
• Gastric Bypass

Dealing with Costs
Unfortunately, such procedures in the United States cost tens of thousands of dollars, and many are not covered by traditional medical or health insurance plans. Who has time to wait? That’s why more men and women in the U.S. are opting to travel abroad for bariatric surgeries that don’t require year-long waits or that will leave you in debt for the rest of your life.

The most popular destinations for obesity surgeries include but are not limited to countries such as:

Mexico – Some popular gastric bypass surgery providers in Mexico include Mexicali Obesity Solutions or Almater Hospital in Mexicali, and Alejandro Aguirre Wallace in Ensinada or the Sanoviv Medical Institute on the Baja coast or The Bariatric Group from Texas offering best bariatric surgeries in Mexico.

India – A favorite destination of many, Artemis Hospital and Sahara Medical in Gurgaon offers several treatments and procedures. So does Tour2india4health Consultants in Mumbai.

Latin America – Facilities in Latin America offer popular gastric bypass treatments and procedures in exotic locales, such as Med Logistic Services in Colombia, Angels Abroad in Guatemala and the ever-popular GoSculptura and Dr. Marco More in Argentina

Costs of bariatric surgery abroad in such facilities such as these offer medical travelers savings between 30% to 75% over costs of same surgeries and procedures in the U.S., and without the long wait-times often required in the States.

For example, a laparoscopic gastric bypass procedure in the United States will cost roughly $30,000. In India, the cost averages about $16,500. In Mexico and South American destinations, costs may average between $9,800 and $13,000.

So what are you waiting for? Make a life-changing decision and optimize your health. You, and your body, will be glad you did.

Gastric Bypass: Travel to Guatemala or Loose my home? – Angels Abroad

Mrs. Margaret Mckenzie, a nurse from Grass Valley, California, made a trip to Guatemala. She contacted a company named, Angels Abroad, and through them, contacted Dr. Rodrigo Gonzalez Toledo, a bariatric surgeon trained in the US. She had an open gastric bypass on September 6th 2008, at Las Americas Hospital in Guatemala city.

What is interesting about this story is that, Mrs. Mckenzie has a health insurance, and they can cover a gastric bypass. The problem is that she didn’t had enough money to pay a co-payment and deductible. Co-payment was US $24,000.

It was cheaper to pay an air ticket to go to Guatemala, plus, ground transportation, cell phone, concierge service, meals, hotel, all medical expenses including 4 nights at a 5-star hospital, nurse service, a tour to a tourist attraction and she paid for her companion expenses. All these was less expensive than using her own health insurance. She saved US $10,000.

Due to her weight loss, Mrs. Mckenzie is going to be able to have a better life.

With tears in her eyes, she told that if she had surgery in the US, she probably had to mortgage, for second time, her house. This is a reality americans are considering, to travel abroad to have invasive surgeries, not just cosmetic. Though it is a hard decision to travel to a called “third world country”, and find physicians trained in the US, using state of the art technology, it is becoming necessary, for americans to survive and not loose all of their money in the process.

Please click here to request additional information from Angels Abroad.

Tango Your Way to Health and Beauty in Argentina

Argentina has become one of the most popular destinations around the world in the field of medical tourism. Buenos Aires is known not only for her beautiful theaters and art galleries, conference centers and museums, but as the ultimate destination for world travelers for relaxation. However, it’s also gained an excellent reputation for world-class healthcare, hospitals, and clinics in the world.

What Does Argentina Offer?
Facilities in Buenos Aires offer Americans and other world travelers a multitude of surgical treatments that include dental, cosmetic, gastric bypass, and plastic surgical procedures. Because of the strong conversion rate against the peso, traveling to Argentina to take advantage of their advanced healthcare system and highly skilled physicians and surgeons has become extremely popular. This goes for Americans flying south of the border as well as Asians and Europeans searching for the ultimate in medical tourism packages.

Medical tourism packages that cater to Americans and Europeans offer first-class medical treatments that are combine with the benefits of exotic tourism. Surgical procedures and treatments and Argentina caused 50 to 70% less than they do in the United States and throughout Europe. Such savings does not mean lack of quality, because surgeons in Argentina are world-class and board-certified. As a matter of fact, Argentina has some of the most technically advanced state-of-the-art equipment in the world.

Treatments Offered in Argentina
Treatments and services in plastic and reconstructive surgeries, fertility treatments, gastric bypass surgical procedures as well as dental care are available through affordable packages from medical tourism companies. One such company, GoSculptura, specializes in offering clients the best in medical care and opportunities to shop and sightsee. Taking advantage of the services that offer hotel accommodations, sightseeing expeditions, as well as medicals procedures in one easy-to-access package at more than reasonable costs.

Such packages include anesthesia services, operating room charges, and single to several night stays at local clinics, medications, surgeon’s fees, as well as pre-and postoperative consultations. The savings in cost alone has encouraged thousands of medical patients to travel to Argentina in growing numbers in recent years.

For example, a hospital in Argentina will charge $8,000 to $12,000 for a partial hip replacement. In the United States, the same surgical procedure will cost $16,000-$24,000.  In addition, Argentina is very well known for offering low-cost cosmetic surgeries for cosmetic procedures such as nose jobs, breast reconstruction, reduction and augmentation.

Finding the Right Surgeon for You
Medical tourists traveling to Argentina for any treatments or surgical procedures should make sure that their physicians are board-certified. Many international physicians and surgeons offering services in Argentina are members of American and International Medical Societies. Check with local and international medical governing boards for information on researching credentials.

Hospitals in major cities in Argentina, and most especially, Buenos Aires, also offer multiple types of surgical procedures that range from ultrasonic liposuction to gastric bypass to hip replacement surgical procedures. These procedures may often be offered at a 10th of what are charged by physicians and hospitals in the United States.

Benefits of Surgical Procedures Obtained in Argentina
Patients looking for lower-cost treatments in foreign hospitals may take advantage of lower overall cost in traveling to another country for surgical procedures rather than obtaining such services in the United States and Europe. In addition to saving money on the actual medical procedure, medical tourists may also benefit from sightseeing opportunities.

Imagine strolling the Bella Époque, or indulge in an Aqua Luna spa treatment at the Aqua Vita Medical Spa in Recoleta. Dance the tango at the El Querando in San Telmo, or enjoy a night of clubbing in Opera Bay. If relaxation and recuperation is what you’re looking for, take a walk and visit historic buildings along the Puerto Madero waterfront.

No matter where you decide to go or how you decide to spend your time in Buenos Aires, tourists may recuperate in exotic locations, and are assured of quality medical care, all at the same time.

Medical tourism is literally changing the face of the healthcare system worldwide. Information and advanced, state of the art medical procedure technology offer consumers a large number of benefits when traveling abroad for medical services.

Choose the best healthcare options for your needs. PlacidWay is the ultimate resource for choosing adequate medical treatment choices, travel and accommodation packages and medical centers around the world.

To  learn more about health tourism in Argentina – please visit www.placidway.com 

More Americans Seeking Surgery Abroad – John. H, GoSculptura

High costs in U.S. are driving some patients to seek affordable plastic surgery in Argentina, and affordable gastric bypass and affordable cosmetic dentistry abroad, said John H., Director at GoSculptura, a company that sends dozens of patients each month abroad for specialized medical procedures.

Dismayed by high surgical costs in the U.S., increasing numbers of American patients are packing their bags to have necessary surgery performed in countries such as Argentina, India, Thailand, and Singapore.

According to Mark D. Smith, president and chief executive officer of the California HealthCare Foundation in Oakland, People are desperate. This illustrates the growing unaffordability of the U.S. health care system, even to people who are by no means indigent.

1) American Patients going abroad
John. H, Director at GoSculptura says there has been a 72% increase in the last 12 months in the number of American patients seeking care at the network of international clinics and Hospitals that Gosculptura covers. Patients are mostly looking for affordable plastic surgery in Argentina, affordable gastric bypass and affordable cosmetic dentistry treatment options.

Cost is a major factor – patients typically save upwards of 60% from the rates charged at U.S. hospitals. Mr John H. indicates a surge in volume from patients seeking treatments against morbid obesity (affordable gastric bypass & banding procedures): Treatments against obesity are not optional. Patients can die if they do not have access to these. Patients come to us as they are out of options in the U.S. Their country, their healthcare system leaves them on their own.

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Body liposuction in Argentina

Deborah went to Argentina for a complete body liposuction with GoSculptura Corp.

52-year-old Deborah from Texas is part of an increasing number of Americans who travel abroad for medical care. More than 45 million Americans do not have health insurance and suffer from high prices charged in the USA for cosmetic and aesthetic surgeries.

After doing some research Deborah discovered that by traveling to Argentina she could save upwards of 40 to 50-percent of the cost of undergoing a full body liposuction in the United States – and have dream vacations too!

She was greeted at the airport by Sol, her GoSculptura personal assistant, escorted through immigration, and taken by private car to her hotel, the trendy and cosmopolitan hotel Puerto Madero, one of the five-star hotels GoSculptura partners with.  After two peaceful days enjoying the sites of Buenos Aires Deborah underwent liposuction surgery.

Before the surgery she was “a little nervous, but I know that I am in very safe hands. Dr. Roblas has more than 35 years of experience and I have been very impressed with the medical staff so far. My GoSculptura personal assistants, Sol and Cecilia are also very attentive to all my needs”.

GoSculptura carefully selects the best private clinics in Argentina for all the medical procedures it covers. And they contract only the most experienced, accredited directing surgeons within these clinics, to perform the surgical procedures. All have over 15 years of experience and most are US trained.

Dr. Roblas, a board-certified senior MD with 35 years of experience performed Deborah’s surgery. He says that “Argentina has made significant contributions to the medical field across all types of surgeries. Professionals here are very good. Key is to provide patients with a tightly controlled 360 degree recuperation environment to ensure a perfectly safe experience”.

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