The U.S. National Library of Medicine says the following people may be candidates for gastric bypass surgery.But that surely shouldn’t mean it should be the only option does it?

* People who are obese and are unable to lose enough weight by dieting and exercising.
* People who are committed to a diet and exercise regimen.
* People who are not mentally ill.
* People who do not have drug or alcohol dependency problems.
* People who have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher; generally at least 100 pounds overweight.
* People who have a BMI of 35 or greater, in addition to a serious health problem that could get better with weight loss — for instance, heart disease or type 2 diabetes.

I personally feel very anti gastric bypass surgery as to many people regard it as the easy way out.I believe that until all other avenues have been completely and totally exhausted it should not even be an option.

I mean seriously tried not just having tried a couple of times on Atkins or something like that which seems to be most peoples idea of tryinghard to lose weight.

Really?

I would then like to see every one show with supported evidence that they were capable of making lifestyle changes before being given surgery ideally for 6 months.

Although not an automatic condition with all gastric bypass surgery (I believe it should be) all patients then need a 6 monthly check up as a minimum to make sure they are making changes to lifestyle with appropriate councelling and nutritional and health advice being given on demand either via a website of telephone help line for upto 5 years.

Gastric Bypass is seen by many as the easy no effort option it was that lack of effort that got most people the way they are in the first place and this would bring that sharply in to focus for those thinking it was a quick operation and then back to normal re adopting all the same bad habits.

It seems I am not alone in my views but read what some other bloggers have to say on this subject.

Are You a Suitable Candidate for Bariatric Surgery?

Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee your eligibility for weight loss surgery. Most bariatric clinics operate a screening policy and only approve candidates who are (a) ready to make appropriate long-term behavioral changes; …

Obese patients ‘encouraged to put on weight to qualify for surgery …

According to the Nice guidelines, bariatric surgery is recommended for adults with a BMI of more than 40, who have other significant diseases (for example, type 2 diabetes) that could be improved if they lost weight, … The college, which is holding a conference on the issue today, says that hospitals are assessing patients referred from primary care trusts under different eligibility criteria, resulting in some patients with a BMI of 60 or greater being refused surgery …

Advice For Beginners Looking Into Gastric Bypass Surgery

Medical history, mental health and commitment to success determine your eligibility. Know the Risks of Gastric Bypass Surgery. Gastric bypass surgery is the safest weight loss surgery available. However, as with all surgical procedures, …

More Gastric Bypass Thoughts and Opinions

• For Very Obese, Gastric Bypass May Extend Life (nlm.nih.gov)

The diabetes drug metformin may be effective in helping obese teenagers lose weight when combined with healthy lifestyle changes according to information published by the AMA (American Medical Association) this week.

The study completed at Sanford University was able to demonstrate that teens who were not diabetic but still obese when given metoformin XR and put in place certain lifestyle changes saw better results than those who just made changes to their lifestyles alone.

The Sanford team said that it was now quite common for non diabetic teenage obesity to be treated using meoformin but suprisingly until now no studies have actually been done to prove it’s effectiveness in treating obesity.

With nearly a third of all children in the U.S. being considered overweight or obese any help is greatfully recieved by the medical profession.

Obesity in childhood is associated with significant health risks, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and risk of heart disease as an adult.

Researchers say childhood obesity is treated with healthy lifestyle interventions, including diet and exercise, but studies show the success of these efforts varies greatly. This is also the case with most adult treatment programs for obesity.

The results of the research carried out showed that the BMI of teens who received metformin in addition to lifestyle changes decreased 0.9 after 48 weeks’ study, compared to a 0.2 increase in the placebo group.

The really good news is …

Researchers say the BMI difference between the two groups persisted for up to six months after they stopped taking the drug.

So I for one will be looking for more on the use of metofirm to treat childhood obesity and I will keep you posted on any further signs of progress.

Related articles On Teen Obesity

• Diabetes Drug Helps Dieting Teens Lose Weight (nlm.nih.gov)
• Childhood Obesity Widens Gender Gap (drsharma.ca)