About Weight Loss Surgery for Teenagers

The rate of obesity is increasing every day. This has led to the increased popularity of weight loss surgery for the teenagers. Despite the high cost of the surgery and the failure of the insurance companies to cover it in their policies, many men, women and teens that have been unable to cut weight through dieting and exercise are still opting for this option.

With the increased demand for the procedure, many companies have come up with various options for their patients, promising to offer the best results. Some of the most common procedures include gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, mini-gastric bypass and gastric lap band.

According to the government health statistics, the number of the obesity incidences has been in the rise for the last few years. It is estimated that 17 % of the total population of children and adolescents are obese. This shows that over 12.5 million of the American children are all obese.

The condition is associated with risks such as heart diseases, sleep apnea, diabetes and even problems of the joints. This high rate of the teen obesity has in turn led to the need for teens to undergo surgeries in their weight loss efforts.

Does weight loss surgery work on Teens?

Is surgery the best option for teen to loose weight? Many of the medical studies have showed that the surgery is effective for reducing the rate of obesity among teenagers. However, the doctors are still hesitant and think that there are better ways to approach the problem. The doctors still think that a change in the diet, medical treatment, physical workout and the lifestyle of the teens can result to achievement of ideal weight rather than surgical ways.

There are studies that have clearly showed the benefits of having bariatric surgery to increase morbidity in the obese teens. Surgery for weight loss has also found acceptance among the medics as an effective way of reducing the weight among the teenage population. Most of the teenagers are still opting to have surgery to be able to lose significant amount of the extra fat in their body.

Surgical Options for Teens

The teenagers who have not been able to achieve significant weight loss with the prescribed diet plan and exercise program that is recommended by the doctor, they have the option of taking weight loss surgery. The teenager should be both mentally and physically mature before they can be allowed to go on with the operation.

The restrictive weight loss surgery usually limits the amount of food intake on the patient. The procedure is less invasive. The patient feels full even after taking small portions of food. It includes the gastric sleeve, gastric balloon and the gastric band. The combined restrictive s more complicated compared to the restrictive surgery. The operation may include the diastal or the long limb bypass that tend to cause reduction in the calorie nutrients absorbed in the digestive system.

Even though studies have shown that the weight loss procedures are effective and safe, there is still need for the surgery intervention among teens. In addition, roper education should be offered to help them watch the food intake and more emphasis put on the need for physical exercise for a healthy body.