Obesity is a complex disorder involving an excessive amount of body fat. Overweight and obesity are prevalent in epidemic proportions in the US and other industrialized nations. The prevalence of obesity was 39.8% and affected about 93.3 million of US adults in 2015~2016 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Obesity isn't just a cosmetic concern, but both overweight and obesity are associated with adverse health consequences, including diabetes, certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and degenerative joint disease. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are much less common but pose major health consequences for affected patients. 

The Gastric banding procedure is a minimally invasive surgery conducted with the help of a laparoscope. This surgery involves the placement of a weight loss band that restricts the passage of the food from the stomach to the intestine. The weight loss band used during the gastric banding procedure is actually an inflatable silicone device with a tendency to expand and contract. Your doctor can adjust the weight loss band from the outside such that only small amounts of food can pass through the stomach. The band keeps the opening from expanding and is generally designed to stay in place permanently. The Lap-Band gastric banding device has also been approved for use in people who have a BMI of 30 to 34 and have an additional health condition related to their obesity.