New research found that the lap band, previously considered the safest weight loss surgery procedure, "must be removed within 5 years to avoid complications". (Obese Surg. Published online January 12, 2017)
The complications are not available in the abstract but from my research, I can detail some of them. Most prominent, is the fact that the stomach is muscular organ and the muscular movement of the stomach tends to cause the band to damage the place at the top of the stomach if left in for longer than a couple of years.
One of the doctors who does the gastric bypass, published photos of the stomach, bleeding and raw from the rubbing of the band. Of course, the gastric bypass does damage to the GI tract from the get-go.
What we should remember about all these procedures, is the concept of weight loss surgery is an old one, before we knew the appetite centers are in the brain, which is why even Dr Nowzaradan, the TV weight loss surgeon, admits that any surgery (unless you get sick from it) is ineffective on the long term.
The facts are what we'd rather not accept. Counting calories or points on the long term is the only way to control weight and it must be done carefully as to not get malnutrition. And even more unacceptable in our fat phobic world is that a person can be overweight and healthy if they exercise regularly (cardio, stretching and strength training) and eat healthy (the low fat diet is still the healthiest).
That being said can obesity bite on the long term? Sadly, it can. But due to things like clogged arteries (from eating high fat or fast food). Another no win situation of a body made to survive in eras before the American lifestyle.
2 comments:
Hi Sue,
Can you share a link for this study? I tried to find it and have been unsuccessful. Even the name of the paper would be helpful.
I'm not sure that the journal in which it was published is available to non subscribers on the web but in the first sentence of the blog, is a reference to the journal in which it appeared.
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