Obesity is not a minor problem. It actually reduces life expectancy by a quarter.

We introduce a balloon of half a liter volume (about a pint) in the stomach and inflate it so it takes up space and helps slow down the eating. This causes a sense of fullness, and the patient is helped to lose weight.

The efficacy of the treatment depends on how the patient is able to use these six months to change his dieting habits in a more or less stable way.

We can afford to offer it to more people since it is relatively complication-free. This has become the most common surgical procedure in Western Europe for weight loss. It has the pole position.

Obesity, hypertension and diabetes are just three diseases that disproportionately affect communities of color.

As childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes continue to rise at unprecedented rates, it is crucial that families make nutrition and exercise an everyday priority. There are many simple changes that can become lifelong habits. These include making neighborhood walks part of a family's routine, making fruits and vegetables available at home and at school and reducing the amount of sugar in beverages and baked goods.