| Teen obesity has reached nearly epidemic proportions | | | | cause more harm to the teenager's health than |
| in recent years. The American Heart Association and | | | | potential surgery risks. Still, gastric banding is one of the |
| the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | | | | most commonly performed weight loss surgical |
| state that between 15% and 33% of adolescents in | | | | procedures for teens, coupled with a multi-disciplinary |
| the United States alone are overweight. The increase | | | | approach to weight loss and weight loss management |
| in overweight and obese teenagers has also increased | | | | that includes nutritional education by certified |
| the number of teens being diagnosed with diabetes, | | | | nutritionists, psychological counseling by trained and |
| hypertension, high cholesterol, and other physical | | | | experienced psychologists, and certified fitness |
| problems. | | | | instructors. |
| Obesity is defined as a body weight roughly 10% | | | | Considerations for Teen Obesity Surgery |
| higher than recommended according to body type and | | | | The American Academy of Pediatrics devised |
| height. Unfortunately, obesity causes an alarming | | | | guidelines under which teenagers might be considered |
| 300,000 deaths annually in the United States alone, at a | | | | for weight loss surgery. These guidelines include: |
| cost of nearly 1 billion dollars a year. | | | | - Failure, following six or more months, of continuous |
| According to the American Academy of Child and | | | | attempt at weight loss or weight management |
| Adolescent Psychiatry, medical conditions and | | | | programs. |
| disorders are responsible for approximately 1% of all | | | | - Requiring the teen to have attained full skeletal |
| teens diagnosed as being overweight or obese, while | | | | growth, meaning 13 years of age or older for girls, and |
| overeating and lack of exercise make up the majority. | | | | 15 years of age or older for boys. |
| Major contributing factors to teen obesity include: | | | | - Body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 with a |
| - Low self esteem | | | | obesity-related problem such as diabetes, sleep apnea, |
| - Lack of exercise | | | | high blood pressure, joint problems, or breathing |
| - Poor eating and nutritional habits | | | | difficulties, among others to be determined by the |
| One can argue that the plethora of fast food | | | | teenager's physician. |
| restaurants on every corner has contributed to the | | | | A teenager undergoing weight loss treatments or |
| general rise of weight in teens caused by high fat, high | | | | procedures should be willing, able and mature enough |
| calorie, and high sugar menu items. In addition to the | | | | to maintain a strict nutritional diet that adheres to |
| physical manifestations that obesity may cause, teens | | | | bariatric surgery guidelines following surgery such as |
| who are overweight may also experience emotional | | | | gastric bypass or lap banding. |
| difficulties, that when coupled with obesity, may cause | | | | The two most commonly performed weight loss |
| anxiety, depression, withdrawal, lack of self-confidence | | | | surgical procedures for teens have included the |
| and self-esteem and even the development of some | | | | Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and adjustable gastric |
| obsessive-compulsive disorders. | | | | banding procedure. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass involves |
| Treatment of Obesity in Teens | | | | stapling a portion of the stomach and attaching a |
| Obesity in teens may be treated with a variety of | | | | Y-shaped section of the small intestine to the newly |
| options, from medications to surgery. However, any | | | | created stomach pouch so food bypasses the first |
| weight loss treatment for teenagers should focus on | | | | portion of the intestine, reducing the amount of food |
| providing long-term benefits that includes education | | | | digested and absorbed by the body. |
| regarding exercise programs, building healthy and | | | | Lap banding utilizes the placement of an elastic band |
| nutritional dietary habits, and family support. | | | | around a portion of the stomach to decrease its size. |
| Weight loss treatment centers and support groups are | | | | This procedure is adjustable and removable. |
| a growing popular option among teenagers, as are | | | | Conclusion |
| adolescent weight loss and obesity surgical | | | | While bariatric surgery may provide physical benefits |
| procedures. Nevertheless, teen bariatric surgical | | | | and aid to weight loss endeavors for teenagers, such |
| procedures represent less than 1% of weight loss | | | | procedures must be combined with education, |
| surgical procedures, based on the Archives of | | | | counseling, and support in order to be successful and |
| Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. | | | | to encourage long-term weight loss and weight loss |
| In most cases, bariatric surgeons will only recommend | | | | maintenance. |
| bariatric surgical procedures if weight may potentially | | | | |