Articles:
- Obesity Surgery May Cause Neurological Problems (17 Oct 2004)
Obesity surgery, such as gastric bypass and 'stomach stapling,' can lead to neurological complications, according to a recent study published in the October 26, 2004, issue of the journal Neurology.
Risk factors that may cause neurological complications are identified in the study.
"Obesity is at epidemic proportions in the United States," says principal investigator P. James B. Dyck, M.D. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 64 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese.
"As more people elect to have bariatric surgery for morbid obesity, it's important to monitor our experience with these surgeries and make them as safe as possible," said Dr. Dyck, associate professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota.
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- Amylin Weight-Loss Drug Shows Promise (4 Jun 2005)
Amylin Pharmaceuticals on Friday presented results of a 16-week Phase 2 obesity study of pramlintide that showed statistically significant, progressive weight loss of 3.6 percent (3.5 kilograms), compared to placebo, with no evidence of a plateau in effect at 16 weeks.
Pramlintide is a synthetic analog of human amylin, a hormone known to play a role in the regulation of appetite and food intake.
The weight loss was accompanied by a significant, progressive reduction in waist circumference -- a recognized marker of abdominal obesity and cardiovascular risk.
The findings were presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Athens, Greece.
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- Weight-Loss Surgery Offers Best Hope for Morbidly Obese (5 Apr 2005)
Weight loss surgery is the most effective treatment available for morbid obesity, a panel of experts has concluded. It can improve or cure diseases associated with obesity, according to a consensus statement published in the April edition of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).
About 8 to 10 million people in the US are morbidly obese, and this group represents one of the fastest growing segments in the obese population, having quadrupled between 1986 and 2000, while obesity doubled. In the morbidly obese population, the average life expectancy is reduced by 9 years in women and 12 years in men.
At a conference convened last year by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) and the American Society for Bariatric Surgery Foundation, scores of surgeons, researchers, primary care doctors, and other medical professionals presented evidence-based data to a 12-member multi-disciplinary panel of experts from around the world.
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- Weight-Loss Surgery Has Heavy Downside (Opinion) (30 Jun 2005)
Surgery should always be the last resort for any injury, condition or disease. Obesity is no exception. It’s a mistake for anyone to abandon -- or, worse, sidestep -- the proven behavioral solutions of exercise and a balanced diet.
The risks of invasive bariatric surgeries (such as gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, duodenal switch, etc.) are substantial.
And their benefits can be achieved with less cost, no risk and less aggravation, using natural means.
Mortality rates for bariatric surgical procedures can be as high as 1 in 100, according to estimates by Virginia Commonwealth University. That means that 1,500 of the projected 150,000 Americans that will undergo the procedure this year will die as a result.
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- Obesity Surgery Offers Multiple Benefits (13 Oct 2004)
Individuals who undergo surgery as a treatment for morbid obesity not only lose weight, but also experience improvements in a range of other conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, according to an analysis of numerous studies.
An estimated 1.7 billion people worldwide are overweight or obese, according to an article outlining the findings of the data analysis in the October 13 Journal of the American Medical Association.
Overweight is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher; obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or higher; and morbid obesity as 40 or higher.
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