Whether you have tried to lose weight on your own or with the help of a weight-loss program, the focus is too often on severely restrictive diets and unrealistic goals, nutrition experts say.

Gastric bypass surgery involves bypassing a part of the small intestine that absorbs nutrients. For this reason, these surgeries are referred to as malabsorptive procedures.

How did Erik Chopin lose more than half his weight—dropping from 407 pounds to 193? "One meal at a time," he says.

Gastric stapling surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that limits the amount of food a person can eat.

Keeping extra weight off requires effort and commitment, just as losing weight does.

Medical treatment can help with weight loss if your own efforts are unsuccessful—or if you have a medical condition that makes it crucial to lose weight.

Most people who have metabolic syndrome have insulin resistance. This may be a beginning of the development of type 2 diabetes.

Whatever treatment plan a person follows, losing weight slowly will be more effective and healthy over the long term.

Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that can inflict substantial harm to a person’s health. Learn about obesity causes and obesity health effects.

Given the chronic diseases and conditions associated with obesity and the fact that obesity is difficult to treat, prevention is extremely important.