Here at That's Fit we spend a lot of time writing about eating right and exercising. That's because we believe it's the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. And, if you want to lose weight, it's the least invasive and generally the most effective way to go about it. But for some people who are morbidly obese, weight loss surgery is another option. But it's an option that comes with major risks such as blood clots, post-operative leaks at the staple site, hernias, dumping syndrome, and other complications. And weight loss surgery isn't a get-out-of-jail-free card, either. It's not the quick and easy way to weight loss. Sure, the weight likely will fall off rapidly. But people who have this surgery also make permanent changes to their lifestyle -- most notably their eating habits.

WebMD has a quiz to help you determine if you want to consider weight loss surgery. Of course, with all the risks involved, this isn't a decision to enter into lightly. If you're considering weight loss surgery, make an appointment with your general physician. You can have a general physical to determine your fitness for surgery and discuss the pros and cons with a professional. Then, make an appointment with a surgeon who performs the method of weight loss surgery you're considering and, again, talk over the pros and cons. In the end, the decision is up to you so make sure you're well informed.

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In those that are overweight (mostly obese) and are considering bariatric surgery to aid in that weight loss, I urge you to consider radical nutrition and exercise options before having your body cut into for rapid weight loss by the knife.

Of course, consult with your doctor for proper guidance, but weight loss surgery should be the last resort unless there exists no safe alternative. What I can say is this: your body is remarkable adept at adapting given a chance. Nutritional changes and exercise are too good adaptations, right?

New research shows that death rates for those that undergo weight loss surgery are higher than among people of the same age who don't have the need to undergo weight loss surgery. Convinced of an alternative way to lose that weight yet?

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According to a recent study, bariatric surgery is safe for older patients who are morbidly obese and are carefully selected for the weight-reduction surgery.

This makes sense, as the body begins breaking down as we all get older and a lot of extra weight is more than likely going to cause more complications with aging. The solution is to undergo bariatric surgery and rid the body of all that weight.

I'm no fan of quick, surgical fixes (like gastric bypass) to help people lose weight, but in the case of elderly or older patients who can't get the physical movement needed to begin, this looks like the only treatment that may help.

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Recent research points to the fact that about two-thirds of people seeking weight-loss surgery have suffered from a psychiatric disorder at some point in their lives. This brings up the question -- is thinking about and carrying through with weight-loss surgery indicative of more deeply embedded psychiatric problems?

For some, this is most likely true. Weight loss surgery for many could be a manifestation of some mental illness I suppose. This recent research used questionnaires to assess psychiatric disorders in 288 patients hoping to have weight-loss surgery.

The results? 66% of the surveyed subjects had a lifetime history of at least one psychiatric disorder -- and the most common disorder was a major depressive disorder. Further 38% had been diagnosed with such a disorder just recently. The kicker is that those with currently diagnosed psychiatric disorders centered in on binge eating behavior.

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It's kind of a sad day in American history when weight-loss surgeries are being prescribed for...children. Yes, there are some conditions that would warrant this kind of undertaking for some kids -- but for most, controlling one's diet and getting a decent dose of exercise each day would be kind of a better deal.

I don't want to suggest that the medical industry is profiteering off these surgeries -- but where there is money, there is sure to be a "market" of some sort. This one, if there is a market here, rather disgusts me though.

Instead of leaving diet control to the individual (who can't control it, apparently, in some cases), some hospitals now have approval from the FDA to test how teens fare with a procedure called laparoscopic gastric banding, where an elastic collar installed around the stomach limits how much someone can eat.

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Just when you've seen it all, something more ludicrous comes along the news. This time, a British lottery is promising winners that they can receive "tummy tucks" (code for bariatric surgery), facelifts and breast enhancements.

What in the world is going on here? No wonder British surgeons have condemned this moronic practice. the real proof in the pudding, though, will be to see if many people in Britain buy lottery tickets -- specifically to have a shot at these "prizes".

But, hey -- it's a free country, right?

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The older you get, the more likely you may be to think much more heavily about going through with weight loss surgery, according, according to a surgeon who performs these operations and has studied the outcome.

Dr. Edward H. Livingston of the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas recently said that older patients need to think very long and hard about having bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) and be more prepared for complications and other issues that may arise.

Dr. Livingston and his colleague found that complications rose as people aged -- and these complications showed a "steep increase" after age 65. Dr. Livingston performed a review of more than 25,000 weight-loss operations for his conclusions performed between 2001 and 2002 across the U.S.

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