Weight management is a topic on which everyone has an opinion, but these opinions can often be overgeneralised and actually detrimental rather than helpful. Stereotypical views of weight as a reflection of laziness and greediness, combined with diets that have been unsuccessful in the longer-term compound a personal sense of failure and shame. And the more times a person goes around the cycle of weight loss, the harder it is to believe that anything can change.
The tide is changing, however, from old messages of ‘you just have to eat less and move more’ to recognising the complexity of factors that influence weight. Sleep, stress, endocrine disturbance, gut hormones, nutrition and physical activity levels all have a part to play, as well as genetic factors which can be activated under certain physical and environmental conditions.
What we offer
At Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, we provide a range of different interventions to meet an individual’s needs. Our specialist weight loss team is made up of consultant bariatric surgeons James Hewes, Alan Osborne, Hari Najeswaren and Dimitris Pournaras, dieticians Dafydd Wilson-Evans, Jeanette Lamb and Beth Greenslade, and consultant clinical psychologists Vanessa Snowdon-Carr and Emma Shuttlewood. Between them, they offer a multidisciplinary approach which begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand when difficulties with weight developed, eating habits, physical and emotional health and wellbeing, before suggesting the options for treatment.
Wellness interventions
Because many people want to refocus on weight management, we offer a number of different options, including tailored nutritional support from dietitians, group interventions for dietary change, or a focus on habits and behaviour change with a clinical psychologist. We offer more specialised psychological help if needed for disordered eating and mental health difficulties, as these issues are likely to have an impact on how food is used.
Weight Loss Medication
Medication for weight loss is now more effective than ever, working by replicating the gut hormones that are linked to hunger. Feeling less hungry and more satisfied after eating, we will support you to focus on your nutrition and lifestyle habits, helping you to manage your weight in the long term. On average people lose 10% of their total body weight over a period of 12 months.
Gastric balloons
At the Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, we use the Allurion Balloon, which does not require surgery, endoscopy or anaesthesia and is placed in a 20-minute appointment. The balloon is filled with saline and remains for approximately 4 months before passing naturally. Typically, people lose 13-15kg by also focusing on habit change supported by the specialist team. We also give you a set of smart scales linked to an App to track your progress.
Bariatric surgery
Bariatric, or weight loss surgery remains the most effective intervention for both weight loss and the maintenance of weight loss in the longer term. Our team meets the highest standards of recommended practice by offering a multi-disciplinary approach from surgeons, dietitians and psychologists as a standard. This is rare within private practice, and we are proud of our approach at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, providing comprehensive support with specialists in their field.
We provide the following surgeries, all performed laparoscopically using keyhole surgery:
• Gastric Bypass – this procedure involves creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach which is then connected to the small intestine. As a result, the rest of the stomach is bypassed. By doing so, it not only reduces the amount that a person is able to eat but it also changes the gut hormones which are linked to hunger and feeling of fullness. It results in rapid weight loss in the first 6-months before stabilising over time.
• Sleeve Gastrectomy – this procedure removes a large section of the stomach, leaving a ‘banana-shaped’ section that is closed with staples. As with the bypass, it reduces appetite in the short-term, reduces the amount of food able to be eaten at any one time, and affects the gut hormones.
• Gastric Banding – this uses a device that is placed around the top of the stomach, creating a small pouch. It is connected to a port placed under the skin so that fluid can be added to the band to adjust the pressure. It helps to make changes to the way a person eats, as well as enabling an earlier sensation of fullness.
• Revision surgery – sometimes people need to have their gastric band or sleeve revised to a gastric bypass.
Help after bariatric surgery
Bariatric surgery is a very powerful tool for weight management, but long-term success requires a person to make changes to how, what and why they eat. We provide support for 18-months following surgery as standard, and also offer consultations for individuals who have had their surgery elsewhere.
For more information, contact the Enquiries team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital by calling 0117 911 5339, or visit our website.
Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, 3 Clifton Hill, Bristol BS8 1BN
nuffieldhealth.com
