Have you heard? New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had lapband surgery in February. Lapband surgery, a variation of bariatric surgery, involves wrapping a device similar to a band or a belt around the stomach in order to make the stomach smaller, limiting the amount of food it can hold, and therefore resulting in weight loss through reduced food consumption.
The governor chose to keep this procedure a secret because It s nobody else s business. He also adds in response to rumors that he went through with the surgery so he would appear more suited to compete in a national political campaign, that My decisions about anything to do with my career are based upon what I think is best for me and best for my family. Whatever size I happen to be when I have to make a decision about what to do next in my career, I doubt that ll play any role or effect in what I decide to do.
But he has opened up about his weight problem in the past, saying that he has been fighting this battle for 30 years. He also highlights the stigma associated with overweight and obesity. I think folks say yeah, well he must just not be disciplined, you know, or he must not have willpower that kind of thing.
ACSH s associate director of public health, Ariel Savransky, says, Bariatric surgery, as ACSH has said in the past, has been proven as an effective way for obese individuals to gain control over their weight if other options have not worked. Governor Christie s actions show that he is taking steps to gain control of his situation and can hopefully be used as an example for others considering the surgery. His willingness to open up about his struggles with weight may also help to clear-up the negative assumption that all overweight or obese people are lazy and that is the reason they cannot lose weight.