HONOLULU, HI — (Marketwire) — 04/12/12 — According to the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), over 68% of Americans are considered overweight or obese, a condition that has been linked to hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and other serious medical complications. While the recent statistics show that more than 5% are considered morbidly obese, the ASMBS also reveals that just 1% (220,000) of the clinically eligible population (15 million) underwent bariatric or weight loss surgery in the past year. Dr. Steve Fowler, a bariatric surgeon in Hawaii at Aloha Surgery, says new advancements in weight loss surgery procedures will hopefully make a difference in influencing more patients to take control of their weight and improve their health. He says the gastric sleeve is one such procedure that has been introduced in the past few years to help patients reduce the risk (and cost) of weight-related complications.

Having performed the gastric sleeve, or vertical sleeve gastrectomy, procedure at his Hawaii weight loss surgery practice for the past two years, Dr. Fowler says he utilizes a single incision through the belly button to surgically remove about 80% of the stomach so that patients need less food to make them feel full. As the first surgeon to perform the single incision approach in Hawaii, he says one of the most important factors in achieving successful results is having the knowledge and experience to identify which candidates are right for the procedure. Dr. Fowler says through individual and personalized attention to patients, weight loss goals can become a realistic and manageable journey for most people. “What is important for the patient is to have a safe operation. If the procedure can be done safely through the belly button providing minimal scarring, then patients want this. We have been performing the vertical sleeve gastrectomy for over two years now, and patients have seen substantial results,” he says.

With the growing acceptance of the procedure as an effective treatment for obesity, the Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA), Hawaii’s largest medical insurer, has also recently announced coverage of gastric sleeve surgery. Using the same standards in place for the LAP-BAND® System and gastric bypass, Dr. Fowler says the addition of the gastric sleeve in Hawaii to insurance plans will help more patients take advantage of the benefits available through effective treatment from a board-certified surgeon. He also adds that exposure to a broader range of surgical options has increased patient outcomes and will continue to advance the pursuit of successful and safe procedures. “It’s been a long time coming, and I am encouraged with HMSA’s decision to cover the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. This will provide an excellent option for patients interested in surgical weight loss,” says Dr. Fowler.

Dr. Fowler says he is excited about recent public exposure to the success of the gastric sleeve and is confident in its ability to help patients achieve a fitter, healthier self. However, he strongly recommends patients seek the expertise of a board-certified and experienced bariatric surgeon before undergoing any weight loss surgery treatment. Through the skilled hands of a dedicated surgeon, Dr. Fowler says the gastric sleeve and other bariatric procedures can offer patients relief from the burdens and risks of obesity, and a guiding tool towards a more positive outlook on life.

About Steven Fowler, MD, FACS

Dr. Steve Fowler graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts and received his medical degree from the Boston University School of Medicine. He completed his surgical residency at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Dr. Fowler is the acting Medical Director for Bariatric Surgery at Castle Medical Center. His practice, Aloha Surgery, as well as Castle Medical Center have been designated by the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the only practice to receive this distinction in the state of Hawaii.

Located at 928 Nuuanu Avenue #400 in Honolulu, HI, Dr. Fowler’s practice can be reached at (808) 521-1300. He can also be contacted online via the website alohasurgery.com or the Aloha Surgery Facebook page.

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Hospitals, employers, and insurers can play a significant role providing people with the environmental supports to engage in an active lifestyle that helps maintain health and a high quality of life.

New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) April 12, 2012

A large body of scientific evidence shows that exercise is an effective medical therapy to prevent or manage dozens of medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. The Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently began a partnership to promote this message through ACSM’s Exercise is Medicine® initiative. The goal of this initiative is to promote the health benefits of regular exercise participation in a variety of medical settings.

The growing epidemic obesity has drawn attention to the benefits of an active lifestyle yet many people struggle to become more physically active. “I have asked my patients to consider healthy eating and physical activity for many years,” observed physician Michael Goldstein, “but only recently have health care-based programs and resources been available to help them to successfully follow through with these recommendations after their appointments.” As Americans have become increasingly sedentary and unfit, exercise has mostly been used as a rehabilitation strategy in medical settings.

A symposium held Friday, April 13 (8:45-10:15 am), at the Society of Behavioral Medicine’s 33nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions in New Orleans will profile successful real world examples of evidence-based physical activity programs offered to large numbers of consumers. The symposium aims to review challenges to implementing large scale preventive programs and to provide medical practitioners and policy makers with lessons learned from implementing programs such as those advocated by Exercise is Medicine®. As symposium chair Dr. David Goodrich observed, “Hospitals, employers, and insurers can play a significant role providing people with the environmental supports to engage in an active lifestyle that helps maintain health and a high quality of life.”

Dr. Matthew Buman, a health researcher at the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University explained the Exercise is Medicine® initiative and plans for ACSM to work with partners like SBM help shape the direction of medical care through medical research studies and consultation with health policy makers. The initiative has started to make exercise part of the conversation that patients have each time they go to see their medical provider. More recently, the initiative has identified the need to make changes in the healthcare system to support this basic goal. Dr. Buman commented, “Professional medical societies like ASCM and SBM have the expertise to facilitate the transformation of health care by sharing best practices.”

While technology may contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, panelist Dr. Caroline Richardson described how the internet can help patients improve their health. Dr. Richardson framed the problem of lifestyle change from the perspective of insurance companies and large health systems with a focus on cost and reach. She will present results from a large implementation of an online walking and weight loss program that incorporates pedometers, motivational messages, peer support, goal setting and substantial financial incentives to promote lifestyle change in a population. Preliminary results showed that internet mediated approaches can be successfully implemented and that while not everyone like the program, almost everyone participated. Dr. Richardson states “We have learned much about logistical, technical, ethical, medical and legal issues that must be overcome when implementing an internet mediated lifestyle change program. Additionally, we have documented the impressive reach and participation that financial incentives can produce when the implementation is successful.”

Dr. Kenneth Jones, the VHA National Program Director for Weight Management, subsequently summarized how the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) took a pioneering role in preventive medicine by implementing a comprehensive weight self-management program for Veterans called MOVE!®. “The prevalence of overweight and obesity has gradually risen to almost 77%,” Dr. Jones stated, “placing these Veterans at risk for diabetes, cardiovascular problem, cancer, and premature death. Annually, Veterans are screened by their body mass index, and those found at weight-related risk are offered several different MOVE!® self-management support options.” To date, over 380,000 Veterans have participated in MOVE!®, and VHA is working through a national Prevention Initiative to motivate patients to make healthy lifestyle changes through effective patient-centered communication. In addition, MOVE!® continues to develop more convenient options for participants to choose how, when, and where they will participate in weight management programming. As the largest weight management program offered by an integrated health care system, MOVE!® has begun to impact services in other domains such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Symposium discussant and past SBM President, Dr. Michael Goldstein put the symposium’s findings in perspective. Initiatives like the online walking and weight loss program described by Dr. Richardson, Exercise is Medicine®, and MOVE!® help empower patients to improve their health without expensive drugs or treatments. As Associate Chief Consultant for Preventive Medicine in the VHA, Dr. Goldstein acknowledged that initiatives like Exercise in Medicine® and MOVE!® have changed provider and patient perspectives about what healthcare can and should offer patients. In VHA, a new Health Promotion and Disease Prevention initiative embeds behavioral medicine specialists in primary care teams at all 153 VHA medical centers. Not only will these specialists take a role in training their peers about preventive medicine to improve patient care, they will serve as pioneering examples to other heath care organizations looking to put a greater emphasis on improving patient health outcomes through health behavior change.

The Society of Behavioral Medicine is a multidisciplinary organization of clinicians, educators, and scientists dedicated to promoting the study of the interactions of behavior with biology and the environment and the application of that knowledge to improve the health and well being of individuals, families, communities, and populations.

This study was presented during the 2012 Annual Meeting and Scientific Session of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) from April 11-14 in New Orleans, LA. However, it does not reflect the policies or the opinion of the SBM.

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A weight loss company and a yoga shop will soon be joining the ever-diverse tenant mix along Oleander Drive.

Achieve Medical Weight Loss, which creates custom weight loss programs based on a client’s health, weight and body mass index, is currently moving into 2,100 square feet of space at 4130 Oleander Drive.

Chuck Lydon and W. Tyler Pegg of Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners represented the tenant, while Steve Warwick — principal broker with Maus Warwick Matthews Company — represented the landlord after executing a long-term lease in March on the property for an undisclosed amount.

Dale Kuhl, co-owner of Achieve Medical Weight Loss, said he plans to have a grand opening of April 17.

Once officially open, the clinic and its five employees will operate three days a week: 3-7 p.m. on Tuesdays, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday s and Saturdays. 

“We’re moving in furniture and getting things together as I speak,” Kuhl said. “It’s going to be a very nice office when we’re done with everything.”

The Wilmington division of Achieve Medical Weight Loss — which operates 14 offices in Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky — is the only such location in North and South Carolina.

Kuhl said his business is a cash-based company and does not accept insurance. He said while his company takes a customary approach to weight loss, they also have licensed physicians and nutritionists on staff who can prescribe dietary medicines.

“Dr. Jeffery Seder is a supervising board-certified cardiologist,” Kuhl said. “He will be on staff to help our clients, and oversee operations in the office . . . we’re very excited about this venture and feel it will be successful.”
 
Meanwhile, Bikram Yoga — a division of Hottest Yoga Wilmington — is setting up shop in more than 3,800 square feet of space in the Willow Woods Shopping Center, located at 5424 Oleander Drive.

Chuck Lydon and W. Tyler Pegg of Coldwell Banker Commercial Sun Coast Partners also represented the tenant, while Mike Brown and Bryan J. Greene of Cape Fear Commercial represented the landlord after executing a long-term lease in March on the property for an undisclosed amount.