Bariatric surgery can help adolescents in a state of morbid obesity to lose weight sustainably and protect their health. Works published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology underline for the first time the value of using these interventions for the long-term treatment of adolescents suffering from morbid obesity. The effectiveness is not always felt after the first surgical operation and a new intervention may be necessary, qualifies the study.
Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer … The risks of pathologies associated with obesity are known. But when a person reaches the stage of morbid obesity, the patient’s life is clearly on the line. In this emergency situation, surgery is increasingly used as a treatment.
In the new study, the US researchers followed a panel of adolescents suffering from severe obesity (or morbidly, that is to say with a body mass index greater than 40) to assess the effectiveness of the pose d. ‘a gastric bypass in weight loss. This bariatric surgerye consists in reducing the volume of the stomach by creating a sort of “short-circuit” at the level of a large part of it.
Too many obese children and teens in the United States
Verdict, the 58 American adolescents studied and aged 13 to 21 were able, thanks to this bypass, to reduce their average BMI from 58.5 to 36 one year after the intervention. Eight years later, the BMI was stagnant at 42 on average. This represents a loss of 30% of their weight before their operation. This weight loss of around 50 kilos was accompanied by an improvement in the markers of obesity: hypertension and cholesterol levels were reduced and the rate of diabetics has decreasedalso.
Obesity is defined by a body mass index between 30 and 40. Beyond that, we talk about morbid obesity. In the USA, 4.6 million children and adolescents are affected by this severe stage, dangerous for health.
Yes obesity remains a major scourge for Americans, a recent study suggests a brightening on the horizon: the number of babies at risk of obesity that is born each year is experiencing a decline. The beginning of awareness and a change in mentalities? The future will tell.
Still, France is no exception: one in two adults is overweight and 16% of French people are obese according to Inserm.
To read also: Not motivated to play sports? Maybe it’s your brain’s fault
