Gastric banding is safe and effective for obese teens
A new study published in the February 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that morbidly obese teenagers who get laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding 10 times more weight than their equally obese peers who received diet and exercise plans for weight loss.
In this Australia-based study, half of the study participants underwent gastric banding surgery which involves placement of silicone ring under the top of the stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch thereby reducing the amount of food eaten. With the gastric band, the teens were asked to eat three small meals and exercise for 30 minutes each day. The other group recieved no surgery and were just counselled to eat less and exercise.
After two years, the teens who had surgery lost an average of 79 percent of their excess weight while those who tried diet and exercise alone lost an average of only 13 percent.
Study co-author Dr. Susan Sawyer was quick to point out that gastric banding is not a quick-fix for teenage obesity. Before proceeding with the surgery, both the teens and their parents were asked to consider the importance of following the recommended eating behaviors that go with being banded.
However, in light of the childhood obesity epidemic, these findings clearly indicate that gastric banding should be more readily considered as a safe and effective option for young people are obese and unsuccessful with the traditional means of weight loss. It’s a permanent solution to teenage weight issues without the emotional and physical consequences of weight cycling.
In addition to weight loss, the banded teens were healthier and happier with a higher quality of life than their peers who struggled with sticking to a diet and exercising.
