Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Weight Loss Surgery May Add Years to Life

Weight Loss Surgery May Add Years to Life

Stomach-Stapling Surgery
------------
There's no doubt that stomach-stapling surgery leads to dramatic weight loss. But new research shows that the procedure might also add years to life.

As the number of obese people in the U.S. has soared, so has the popularity of the surgery. In fact, East Carolina University researchers estimated that the number of people undergoing weight-loss surgery increased from 40,000 in 2001 to 86,000 this year and will reach 140,000 next year.

Past research has shown that gastric bypass improves diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases related to excess fat. But the effect on a person's life span has been unknown, until now

To answer that question, researchers at New Hampshire's Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center first looked at data from previous research that showed how much a weight an average person loses after having the surgery. Then they looked at the average life expectancies of people at various heights and weights. In this way, they could estimate how much the change in weight caused by surgery would affect patients' life span.

The results suggest that most people eligible for the surgery would benefit, says lead researcher G. Darby Pope, MD, surgery resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. "By undergoing the surgery, they will gain life years," he said. Pope presented the study this week at a meeting of the American College of Surgeons in San Francisco.

People with a BMI, a measure of obesity that takes both height and weight into account, over 25 are considered overweight. But according to U.S. government guidelines, patients should have a BMI of at least 40, or a BMI of 35 with a related serious disease, to be eligible for gastric bypass surgery. Most such patients are more than 100 pounds overweight.

The results varied according to the patients' age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). According to the researchers, a woman with a BMI of 45 at age 40 would gain three years of life. A man of similar age and size could expect to gain 3.9 years.

These results are better than those obtained by heart disease surgery, Pope said. But he cautioned that no one should interpret these findings literally. The actual effects of the gastric bypass surgery will vary a lot from one individual to another.

Questions about the benefits of gastric bypass surgery will be answered with more certainty by studies now under way on large groups of patients, Pope says.

The surgery is getting more popular not only because more people are obese, but also because surgeons have improved their techniques. In earlier weight-loss surgery, doctors routed the digestive track past much of the intestines, resulting in malnutrition.

In the kind of surgery in the Dartmouth-Hitchcock study, most of the stomach is stapled shut so that food can only enter a small pouch at the top. A branch of the intestines is connected to this pouch. (The unused part of the stomach is connected to this branch downstream in order to drain its fluids.)

Patients vomit if they overeat, but feel full with much less food. Typically, they lose about three-quarters of their excess weight in the first year, then gradually gain some back. After ten years or more, most carry about half the excess weight they had before the surgery, says Pope.

Patients must take nutritional supplements for the rest of their lives, and there is a chance of dying from complications of the surgery. But Pope and his colleagues took this risk of complications into account in their study and the results suggest that the risk of death from the procedure are much less than the risk of death from obesity.

The main problem with this type of surgery is it is only a short-term solution. Usually overweight people have poor eating habits and do not exercise. Having surgery does not correct either. It is vital to have a change of lifestyle to undergo healthy weight loss. Without the change, the body remains in an unhealthy state.

Source: WebMD

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About The Author
------------
Michael Lewis has been collecting articles and information on Weight Loss and HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and related health benefits. He has created and edits numerous web sites about this subject. Michael is a staff writer for http://www.ageforce.com and several other websites. If you would like to contact Michael you can e-mail him at http://www.ageforce.com or if you would like to know more about Weight Loss, HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and related health topics please visit us at http://www.ageforce.com.

Airbnb cleaning service Arlington Heights ..

In The News:

Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.

Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.

Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.

Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.

Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.

Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.

The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.

Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.

As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.

A sheriff's captain says deputies often spend hours writing reports between calls, but Axon's AI program, Draft One, helps them save crucial time in the field.

Sora 2, OpenAI's new video-generation app, can create AI-generated videos based on a singular prompt. The results are both mind-blowing and terrifying.

iPhone and Android users can reduce Wi-Fi calling battery drainage through settings adjustments, background app limits and stronger Wi-Fi connections.

Work email scams are becoming harder to detect as criminals use AI and spoofed addresses to trick employees into opening malicious attachments and links.

From her Arizona living room, Christina Chapman ran a covert hub that helped North Korean operatives infiltrate U.S. firms, netting $17 million in stolen salaries.

UC Santa Barbara researchers developed a soft robotic intubation system that achieved 100% success rates for experts and 96% for paramedics with minimal training.

Scammers exploit probate filings to target grieving families with fake fees and debts, Kurt "Cyberguy" Knutsson reports.

Automotive giant Stellantis becomes latest victim of widespread Salesforce breaches affecting companies like Google, Cisco and Adidas this year.

A woman from Washington reunited with her missing Maine Coon cat Louie after 11 days using Love Lost, a free AI-powered pet recovery platform.

Expert cybersecurity tips help Mac owners remove malware infections and strengthen defenses with antivirus software, password managers and system updates.

Meta's AI chatbot training rules bans sexual roleplay with minors and block access to child abuse material as regulators scrutinize its safety measures.

Online banking users face a new threat: web injection scams that overlay fake pop-ups to steal logins. Here’s how to spot them and protect your accounts.

Meta introduced Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger while launching a School Partnership Program for U.S. educators to report bullying within 48 hours.

Executive order signed by President Donald Trump tasks Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s MAHA Commission with using AI to find new cures for childhood cancers.

New FileFix attack tricks Facebook and Instagram users into running malicious PowerShell commands disguised as Meta account maintenance to deploy StealC infostealer.

Step-by-step instructions help users migrate to Windows 11 while preserving emails, contacts, documents, and software licenses during the transition.