Randy Jackson - Producer and "American Idol" judge.

At 5’11” and 329 pounds, Randy Jackson developed sleep apnea, and six years ago was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He was told by his doctors to lose weight but after trying “every diet on the planet,” Jackson opted for laparoscopic bypass surgery which stitches shut about 95% of the stomach.

The procedure, performed by Dr. Mal Fobi, helped the high profile “American Idol” judge lose 100 pounds and 12 inches off of his waist. Jackson went down 5 shirt sizes to a large from a quadruple XL. He has joined other celebs, such as Today Show’s Al Roker and singer Carnie Wilson, in the growing group of people opting for this “last-resort surgery.” Randy Jackson was well aware of the risk and had trouble sleeping the night of the surgery. After talking it over with his wife, Erika, the decided that the benefits would outweigh the risk of the 1 in 200 mortality rate.

Now Jackson’s sleep apnea is all but gone, and he has more energy than ever. His lifestyle has changed as he can no longer eat the foods he loves, but it’s a small price to pay for a longer lease on life. His wife is incredibly happy because she says she, “can give him a real hug. I could actually clasp my hands around his back. It was so cool.”

Source: People Magazine Volume 61 Issue 3

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