Stomach-Stapling Surgery
------------
There's no doubt that stomach-stapling surgery leads to dramatic weight loss. But new research shows that the procedure might also add years to life.
As the number of obese people in the U.S. has soared, so has the popularity of the surgery. In fact, East Carolina University researchers estimated that the number of people undergoing weight-loss surgery increased from 40,000 in 2001 to 86,000 this year and will reach 140,000 next year.
Past research has shown that gastric bypass improves diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases related to excess fat. But the effect on a person's life span has been unknown, until now
To answer that question, researchers at New Hampshire's Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center first looked at data from previous research that showed how much a weight an average person loses after having the surgery. Then they looked at the average life expectancies of people at various heights and weights. In this way, they could estimate how much the change in weight caused by surgery would affect patients' life span.
The results suggest that most people eligible for the surgery would benefit, says lead researcher G. Darby Pope, MD, surgery resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. "By undergoing the surgery, they will gain life years," he said. Pope presented the study this week at a meeting of the American College of Surgeons in San Francisco.
People with a BMI, a measure of obesity that takes both height and weight into account, over 25 are considered overweight. But according to U.S. government guidelines, patients should have a BMI of at least 40, or a BMI of 35 with a related serious disease, to be eligible for gastric bypass surgery. Most such patients are more than 100 pounds overweight.
The results varied according to the patients' age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). According to the researchers, a woman with a BMI of 45 at age 40 would gain three years of life. A man of similar age and size could expect to gain 3.9 years.
These results are better than those obtained by heart disease surgery, Pope said. But he cautioned that no one should interpret these findings literally. The actual effects of the gastric bypass surgery will vary a lot from one individual to another.
Questions about the benefits of gastric bypass surgery will be answered with more certainty by studies now under way on large groups of patients, Pope says.
The surgery is getting more popular not only because more people are obese, but also because surgeons have improved their techniques. In earlier weight-loss surgery, doctors routed the digestive track past much of the intestines, resulting in malnutrition.
In the kind of surgery in the Dartmouth-Hitchcock study, most of the stomach is stapled shut so that food can only enter a small pouch at the top. A branch of the intestines is connected to this pouch. (The unused part of the stomach is connected to this branch downstream in order to drain its fluids.)
Patients vomit if they overeat, but feel full with much less food. Typically, they lose about three-quarters of their excess weight in the first year, then gradually gain some back. After ten years or more, most carry about half the excess weight they had before the surgery, says Pope.
Patients must take nutritional supplements for the rest of their lives, and there is a chance of dying from complications of the surgery. But Pope and his colleagues took this risk of complications into account in their study and the results suggest that the risk of death from the procedure are much less than the risk of death from obesity.
The main problem with this type of surgery is it is only a short-term solution. Usually overweight people have poor eating habits and do not exercise. Having surgery does not correct either. It is vital to have a change of lifestyle to undergo healthy weight loss. Without the change, the body remains in an unhealthy state.
Source: WebMD
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.
About The Author
------------
Michael Lewis has been collecting articles and information on Weight Loss and HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and related health benefits. He has created and edits numerous web sites about this subject. Michael is a staff writer for http://www.ageforce.com and several other websites. If you would like to contact Michael you can e-mail him at http://www.ageforce.com or if you would like to know more about Weight Loss, HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and related health topics please visit us at http://www.ageforce.com.
1. Start Exercising first thing in the morning.As soon as... Read More
Many people have asked me what foods they should eat... Read More
To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an... Read More
Many women want to be slim. Maybe you're one of... Read More
Although all of the risks involved in gastric bypass surgery... Read More
There are those that walk amongst us who have followed... Read More
Have you ever worried about something so much it paralyzed... Read More
Here come the candy canes. In our house, Santa always... Read More
Yes, there is more to the Mediterranean than sun, beach... Read More
Ever notice how your best friend can lose weight on... Read More
Low carb beer and lite beer are two different animals.... Read More
New Medical Research shows high-intensity exercise can increase the body's... Read More
If you want to reduce your body fat, focus on... Read More
Tip 1) DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AFTER EACH SNACKThis... Read More
5 Easy Steps to A Healthier WeightAlthough different people have... Read More
To understand how surgical procedures aid the grossly overweight person... Read More
A new survey has found that heel pain caused by... Read More
Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More
Getting enough of the good fats will help you lose... Read More
From personal experience I have myself like all of you... Read More
A pound of fat represents approximately 3500 calories of stored... Read More
Let me ask you a personal question. As you read... Read More
Things get so confusing when it comes to understanding what... Read More
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More
If you're like me, you probably wish that there was... Read More
Lincoln Town Car rentals Addison ..Healthy eating has become part of your life, but you're... Read More
Remember that movie with Jim Carey, "Dumb and Dumber?" And... Read More
As our bodies move from Winter into Spring we can... Read More
The following are weight loss tips that you can start... Read More
Why We Start Diets on MondayThe biggest problem with any... Read More
Dieters dread the plateau. You're on a roll, losing weight... Read More
Include in your diet things that contain more water like... Read More
I am sure that when I mention setting objectives for... Read More
Obesity, once seen as akin to laziness and overeating, is... Read More
If you are committed to the low carb way of... Read More
Much has been written about obesity and globesity. Obesity is... Read More
Are you one of the 90 million Americans who are... Read More
What is the link between Hispanics and obesity? Are people... Read More
Exercise Physiologists who study the effects of exercise on weight... Read More
Ephedra has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of... Read More
Before you try starving yourself or turning to diet drugs... Read More
Obesity is a disease that is not caused by a... Read More
Obesity acceptance, also known as fat acceptance, has a simple,... Read More
The incidences of deseases like obesity, diabetes, colon deseases etc.are... Read More
Dieters have long searched for secret paths to easy weight... Read More
There is only one way to lose weightThere really is... Read More
Weight Loss is something that many Americans struggle with. In... Read More
1. Increase your fiber intake. The body needs a lot... Read More
Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More
Negative calorie foods are said to use more calories to... Read More
Weight Loss |