MedPage Today, 19th November 2009

Obesity is a serious problem nowadays. Wrong diet and lack of exercise mean it becomes even more frequent and concerns not only adults but also children and adolescents. In the past, only adult patients were eligible for bartiatic surgery but the severity of obesity has increased so much that now even young patients can have this possibility.

Children with body mass of over 50 kg/m2 and the ones with BMI of over 40 kg.m2 and serious comorbidities qualify for weight-loss surgery.
Latest studies carried out by Holly Ippisch, MD of Cinnati Children.s Hospital, show that weight-loss surgery helped teenagers to lose weight and to improve their health.

The improvements were seen as quickly as six months after the procedure.

In the research 87 children took part. All of them underwent batriatic surgery. The average postoperative BMI was 58 kg/m2. Six months after the operation, the BMI improved to 41 kg/m2. After another two years it improved even more to 38 kg/m2. The patients have lost an average of 38% of their body weight.

As soon as six months after the procedure, there were improvements in left ventricular mass and diastolic function. The prevalence of normal left ventricular geometry increased from 51.7% to 80.7% by six months. Also heart rate and systolic blood pressure improved significantly

WLS Support, 9th November 2009

Patients who underwent weight-loss surgery are successful as they said “Stop� to obesity but it’s only one step in the long process of weight-loss. The main thing they have to remember is that nothing is going to be the same after the procedure. They have to change the style of life and introduce a healthy diet.

These are tips which will help to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle:
~~ Eat nutritional food. Make sure it’s low-fat and low-sugar. Avoid carbohydrates, especially white rice and pasta.
~~ Eat good quality well balanced protein food.
~~ Do not skip meals.
~~ Exercise regularly a few times a week. In order to burn calories your heart rate should raise while exercising.
~~ Drink at least 2 litres of water per day. Do not overdo though, as it’s bad for your internal organs.
~~ Take note of everything you eat and how much exercise you do.
~~ Let yourself a treat from time to time but make sure it doesn’t become an obsession.
~~ Take vitamins and supplements, and remember to have your blood checked regularly.
~~ Do not beat yourself if you miss an exercise or eat something you should not. Just move on and get back to your healthy routine.
~~ If you find it hard to stick to the diet and exercise plan, join a support group.

Remember that the surgery has made a huge difference in your body. Do not let yourself down by coming back to the wrong habits. On the other hand, everyone’s different. Try not to compare yourself to other people. Listen to what your body is telling you. If you experience any unpleasant sensations or pains, contact the doctor as you might need to change something in your new lifestyle.

WLS Support, 9th November 2009

Patients who underwent weight-loss surgery are successful as they said “Stop� to obesity but it’s only one step in the long process of weight-loss. The main thing they have to remember is that nothing is going to be the same after the procedure. They have to change the style of life and introduce a healthy diet.

These are tips which will help to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle:
~~ Eat nutritional food. Make sure it’s low-fat and low-sugar. Avoid carbohydrates, especially white rice and pasta.
~~ Eat good quality well balanced protein food.
~~ Do not skip meals.
~~ Exercise regularly a few times a week. In order to burn calories your heart rate should raise while exercising.
~~ Drink at least 2 litres of water per day. Do not overdo though, as it’s bad for your internal organs.
~~ Take note of everything you eat and how much exercise you do.
~~ Let yourself a treat from time to time but make sure it doesn’t become an obsession.
~~ Take vitamins and supplements, and remember to have your blood checked regularly.
~~ Do not beat yourself if you miss an exercise or eat something you should not. Just move on and get back to your healthy routine.
~~ If you find it hard to stick to the diet and exercise plan, join a support group.

Remember that the surgery has made a huge difference in your body. Do not let yourself down by coming back to the wrong habits. On the other hand, everyone’s different. Try not to compare yourself to other people. Listen to what your body is telling you. If you experience any unpleasant sensations or pains, contact the doctor as you might need to change something in your new lifestyle.

India Business Blog, 4th November 2009

Morbidly obese children and teenagers might seek help in lap band surgery to lose weight and improve their health.
There was a study which involved 50 adolescents aged 14-17. They all had lap band surgery or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Those procedures turned out to improve their glucose metabolism which resulted in reducing the patients’ risk of developing insulin resistance. Another good news was that their bone mineral density was not impacted by the surgery. It means that the weight-loss procedure did not affect bone growth.

Dr Evan Nadler, a pediatric surgeon, said that the study confirms that weight-loss procedures help to lose weight and improve overall health in teenagers. He added that, even though the surgery should always be the last resort, the researches show that it reduces the risk of serious health complications.