A recent edition of the Pretoria News featured an article on bariatric surgery, entitled “When diets and exercise fail, surgery can help”, written by Barbara Cole.

This article reported on how Natashua Fourie lost 34kg since last November, following keyhole laparoscopic surgery for morbid obesity. According to the report, the surgeons, who are authorised to perform such operations at St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban, have recorded even greater successes, including one patient who lost 120kg of weight after this type of operation.

Extremely obese people suffering from depression or anxiety tend to lose less weight after obesity surgery than mentally healthy people, researchers reported in a study that suggests such patients could benefit from treatment beforehand.

People diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders on average lost 81 pounds six months after gastric bypass surgery compared to their counterparts who shed 86 pounds. Although both groups lost significant weight after surgery, people without mental health problems did slightly better. Researchers plan to follow patients for up to two years to determine if there’s a weight difference over time.

By David Hurst -  Daily Mail  19th June 2007