DALLAS -
Eighteen year old Alexandria Gonzales is struggling with her weight, just like an estimated five million American teens who are considered obese.
She said tried everything to lose the weight.
"I tried programs like weight watchers, I tried exercising everyday, cutting out the Cokes. I did the typical diet, diet, diet," Said Alexandria.
And it didn't work. At fourteen she weighed 354 pounds and decided to have lab band surgery.
"The first year and a half it was going great, it was great. I was losing, doing very good, losing it here and there and then gaining it back again a little bit, but overall in the three years I lost only about 25 pounds," Said Alexandria.
According to an Australian study published today in the Journal of American Medical Association, Alexandria isn't alone. Researchers followed 50 kids between the ages of 14 and 18. 25 had lab band surgery while the other 25 went through a lifestyle program of diet and exercise. After two years, in the lap band group 84% lost half of their excess weight, an average of 79 pounds while in the lifestyle group only 12 percent lost half of their excess weight, an average of seven pounds.
Dr. Wade Barker of Forest Park Medical Center has performed thousands of lap band procedures but he said fewer than ten on adolescents.
" Obesity is a very complex problem and any avenues we have to fight it we certainly should try, behavioral modification, dieting, counseling of both the adolescent and their parents, but in the long run, the only thing that that has been proven as a long term benefit is surgical weight loss," Said Dr. Barker.
Dr. Barker says adolescent lap band surgery is rare because insurance usually won't pay for it. Insurance did pay for Alexandria's surgery, she said for her it may have been a case of life, or death.
"My doctor told me by the time I'm 21, 22 I would have a high risk of having a heart attack," Said Alexandria.
Researchers say the study indicates that lap band surgery has the potential to be a safe and effective treatment for severely obese adolescents and more studies like it may pave the way for insurance companies to pay for the procedure.
She said tried everything to lose the weight.
"I tried programs like weight watchers, I tried exercising everyday, cutting out the Cokes. I did the typical diet, diet, diet," Said Alexandria.
And it didn't work. At fourteen she weighed 354 pounds and decided to have lab band surgery.
"The first year and a half it was going great, it was great. I was losing, doing very good, losing it here and there and then gaining it back again a little bit, but overall in the three years I lost only about 25 pounds," Said Alexandria.
According to an Australian study published today in the Journal of American Medical Association, Alexandria isn't alone. Researchers followed 50 kids between the ages of 14 and 18. 25 had lab band surgery while the other 25 went through a lifestyle program of diet and exercise. After two years, in the lap band group 84% lost half of their excess weight, an average of 79 pounds while in the lifestyle group only 12 percent lost half of their excess weight, an average of seven pounds.
Dr. Wade Barker of Forest Park Medical Center has performed thousands of lap band procedures but he said fewer than ten on adolescents.
" Obesity is a very complex problem and any avenues we have to fight it we certainly should try, behavioral modification, dieting, counseling of both the adolescent and their parents, but in the long run, the only thing that that has been proven as a long term benefit is surgical weight loss," Said Dr. Barker.
Dr. Barker says adolescent lap band surgery is rare because insurance usually won't pay for it. Insurance did pay for Alexandria's surgery, she said for her it may have been a case of life, or death.
"My doctor told me by the time I'm 21, 22 I would have a high risk of having a heart attack," Said Alexandria.
Researchers say the study indicates that lap band surgery has the potential to be a safe and effective treatment for severely obese adolescents and more studies like it may pave the way for insurance companies to pay for the procedure.
