Family Support in the Weight-Loss Battle
Omaha World-Herald, 30th June 2010
Researches show that patients undergoing weight-loss procedures meet better results if a member of their family has got such an operation in the same time.
The study was announces last Friday by the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery.
It seems quite obvious now that it is more likely to succeed in the exercise routine while having a buddy rather than exercising alone. It turns out that the same mechanism works for people undergoing weight-loss surgery.
The research was carried out by the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. 91 patients from 41 families had a surgery with a relative. They were then compared to the patients who underwent the surgery alone.
A year after the procedure, the family members lost about 30% more of the excess weight than other patients.
This is how the leader of the study, Dr. Gus J. Slotman explains the phenomenon: “Clearly the family dynamic, even a little sibling rivalry, can play an important role in patient success. Family members are a built-in support system that can help turn a good result into a great result, particularly the first year after surgery, when adjusting to a new lifestyle and dietary requirements can be challenging.”
Another research shows that women tend to have fewer complications and shorter hospital stays compared with male patients. Also, still another study carried out by University of Nebraska Medical Center, showed that Latinos and Caucasians have fewer complications than African-Americans, and that younger patients do better than older ones.
