Losing weight with weight-loss surgery. Is it becoming trendy for the less than obese?

Brittany Klein was always overweight. Dieting didn’t work because she packed the pounds back on. What makes Ms. Klein different from most bariatric surgery patients is that fact that is 17, and at the time weighed 208 lbs at 5-foot-9. Her height and body weight put her in the overweight category, but she was still far from morbidly obese.

Bariatric surgery and other weight loss procedures require that the patient be at least 18 by the U.S. Food and Drug. The procedure was approved in 2001 for adults, but remains unapproved for adolescents because of the lack of long-term studies. Bariatric surgery is a failure new produce, so many long-term studies on the effects of the surgery are still being done.

The facility where Ms. Klien underwent a gastric band surgery, which cost her $16,000, is one of a growing group of clinics that will perform weight loss surgery on people as little as 20 pounds overweight. Previously, many organizations like the American Society of Bariatric Surgery, recommended weight loss surgery as only a last resort for the morbidly obese or those with help complications due to being overweight.

The weight loss procedure known as gastric banding only lasts 35 minutes. There are four small incisions made in the abdominal muscle so surgeons can proceed to attach an inflatable silicon band near the beginning of the stomach. Gastric Banding is performed with a camera and long instruments, making it much less intrusive than traditional gastric bypass methods. The simplicity and quickness is what is starting to appeal to teenagers and those looking for a quick fix weight loss method.

Unfortunately, the side effects of such a major change to the digestive system are common. Infection, band slippage, saline leakage (the compound used to loosen and tighten the band), erosion, acid reflux, and vomiting are all potential risks and hazards for weight loss surgery patients. Common digestive problems include trouble with red meat, pasta, rice and bread. Gastric band patients also have to chew their food correctly and carefully so it can pass through their restrictive opening.

It has become for those under 18 who cannot get the surgery in the US, due to malpractice issues, to go to Canada where the restrictions are less common. Brittany Klein is one of them. She feels great about herself, and can be seen smiling and laughing. She wears fitting clothing and walks with pride, and even her personality has loosened up.

Source - This article is about young adolescents undergoing gastric band procedures for cosmetic purposes.