Do you weigh more than you’re supposed to? Many of us do. However, there’s a difference between being a little overweight and being obese. Obesity is technically defined as someone who weighs roughly about 50 pounds or more than a healthy weight range based on height.

Nearly one in three Americans are overweight these days, which has led to a drastic increase in medical conditions related to obesity – including diabetes, joint pain, an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and in some cases, breathing and movement difficulties. In some cases, various factors can affect weight gain, such as genetics, family history and age.

Obesity is the definition of the amount of fat a person carries, and is not based on merely what the scale says – after all, some of us are large-boned, while others are small-boned. Some of us are heavily muscled, while others are not. So obesity isn’t based on weight alone.

Many individuals seeking help for their obesity are stopped in their tracks by the high cost of obesity procedures and surgeries in the U.S. Such does not have to be the case. Today, individuals have increasing freedom to choose medical care providers from a wide range of international destinations for numerous medical issues, including obesity.

High quality medical care is available to Americans in such destinations as Mexico, Argentina, India and Guatemala. The Joint Commission International, ensuring quality and excellence in education, training and procedures offered in such locations, often accredits medical facilities in foreign countries.

Whether you’re interested in gastric bypass, gastroplasty, lap banding or stomach stapling procedures, take advantage of high quality, low cost medical procedures are available if you know where to look.