Mechanisms and Effectiveness of Weight Loss Methods on Diabetes and Sleep Apnea

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Obesity is a significant public health problem, which leads to many health-related comorbidities as well as increased morbidity and mortality. Weight loss of at least 5-10% of initial body weight has been shown in short-term trials to improve many obesity-related co-morbidities, and can be achieved through several strategies, including medical weight loss and surgical procedures; yet few studies have rigorously compared the effectiveness of these interventions directly. Furthermore, despite their effectiveness, surgical weight loss approaches are generally not recommended for patients with a BMI