Bariatric surgery is a tool for lasting health
Via Christi Weight Management surgical weight-loss team in Wichita, KS, helps patients treat obesity as a chronic disease with proven, life-changing bariatric surgery and lasting support.
The journey to sustainable weight loss can be complex and frustrating, especially for individuals living with obesity. Diet and exercise are just the start of a healthy lifestyle. For many people who deal with autoimmune disorders and other underlying body and hormonal issues that keep the weight on, diet and exercise is not enough.
This is where bariatric surgery can help. Surgery is not a quick fix, but it can be a life-changing medical procedure for long-term weight management and improvement of health and quality of life, says the bariatric surgery program team at Via Christi Weight Management in Wichita.
What is bariatric surgery?
Bariatric surgery treats obesity by making the stomach smaller, which changes the amount of food a stomach can hold and the way the body absorbs it. The two types of bariatric surgeries are sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass. Gastric bypass is particularly helpful for people who have diabetes and or reflux, whereas sleeve gastrectomy is best for individuals with a lower starting body mass index (BMI) and/or with previous intestinal procedures or scar-like tissue.
Benefits of bariatric surgery
“These procedures help to reset the hormonal signals that make you hungry, which can often sabotage your weight loss efforts,” said Dena Marten, bariatric nurse educator at Via Christi. “Bariatric surgery is a game-changer, it does much more than just helping with weight loss.”
People who had weight-loss surgery not only keep the weight off, but often get to reduce or eliminate some of their medications, which means fewer side effects and lower costs.
“It's also an effective way to help you manage conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and heart disease,” said Marten.
An added bonus is that when joint pain lessens, you can move better, and your mental health gets better and your quality of life can improve.
Treatment that helps your overall health
“It's important to view bariatric surgery through a medical lens, rather than a cosmetic one,” said Kimberly Oates, patient navigator at Via Christi Weight Management.
Obesity is a chronic disease, and bariatric surgery is a tool that can provide a physical change that can help the body to maintain a healthy weight in a way that years of dieting could not. However, surgery is not a passive solution.
“It’s a tool that requires a lifelong commitment to lifestyle changes, including sticking to nutritional guidelines, regular physical activity and consistent follow-up care with a multidisciplinary team of specialists,” said Oates.
This comprehensive approach, led by centers like Via Christi Weight Management, ensures that surgical success translates into sustainable health.
Choosing bariatric surgery is an investment in a healthier, longer and more fulfilling life, transforming not only the body, but also future health.
Learn more about surgical weight loss at Via Christi Weight Management. Or call 316-689-5232.
Last updated: January 21, 2026