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Teen Obesity Surgery: To Be The Last Resort

Teen Obesity Surgery

Teen Obesity Surgery: to be the Last Resort

The largest, longest study of teen obesity surgery shows huge weight loss and health gains can last at least three years, and many say it’s worth the risks.

The study shows teen surgery can reverse obesity-related complications that can have life-shortening consequences, “and that ultimately is more important than actual pounds lost,” said Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity expert at Boston Children’s Hospital who had no role in the research.

The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the Obesity Society annual meeting in Los Angeles.

The study included teens aged 13 to 19 treated at five centers. Most had gastric bypass surgery — a stomach-stapling procedure that reduces the stomach to a small pouch. Almost a third had a less drastic stomach-reducing operation called sleeve gastrectomy.

Among the before and after results:

Lead author Dr. Thomas Inge, who directs an obesity surgery program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, said seeing diabetes and other obesity-related health problems resolved was remarkable and gratifying. The weight loss also was encouraging, Inge said, but he added that it’s unlikely patients will lose additional weight.

“Nineteen out of 20 patients that had diabetes were able to reverse that diabetes,” Inge said.

Points that need to be Considered Before Opting for Surgery

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Risks After Surgery

Despite the safety of teen weight loss surgery when compared with adults, there are still risks that should be seriously considered and understood by prospective patients. The side-effects of gastric surgery can include long‑term health problems such as bone-thinning, fractures, anaemia and kidney stones due to malnutrition, quite apart from psychological problems, including suicide.

Remember, Surgery is just a tool, not a magic bullet.

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