For years, Dr. Michel Gagner has performed bariatric procedures on patients in hospitals all over the world. His contributions to weight-loss surgery have long-since made him a trusted name in the industry. He has participated in numerous conferences, written several journal articles, and is responsible for pioneering many of the most common weight-loss procedures in use today. While maintaining his Montreal practice, Dr. Gagner and his team are now proud to accept ALL American patients.

The Status of Obesity in the US

It’s no secret that obesity in the United States is one of the leading health concerns in the country, costing upwards of $210 billion dollars in healthcare a year. It is estimated that by the year 2030, half of the American population will be obese and there will be six million cases of type II diabetes and five million new cases of coronary artery disease. Obesity does not discriminate, although it does tend to be more prevalent in low-income, ethnic, and low-education communities.

Obesity in Children and Teens

While we tend to think of obesity as a result of years of unhealthy life choices, children, tweens, and teens are just as susceptible to becoming overweight and obese. For instance, over 21% of Arkansas high school students are obese. These numbers are usually explained by high rates of inactivity, unhealthy food choices, and large amounts of free time engaged in sedentary activities. But obesity is also influenced by pre-existing genetic factors.

Expansion Hopes to Mitigate Stigma of Obesity

Dr. Michel Gagner, his team, and his peers have fought for decades to fight the stigma of obesity, which tends to fill patients with shame and guilt for their health condition, rather than encourage them to find life-saving solutions that can drastically improve their quality of life. By opening his doors to American patients, Dr. Gagner hopes to make bariatric surgery possible for more people.