| Obesity is worldwide problem. There are millions | | | | • There are medical and physiological examinations |
| worldwide who are suffering from this disease. In the | | | | and evaluations performed before the surgery, the |
| United States, there are about 12.5 million children and | | | | teen undergoing that should be prepared to handle |
| adolescents who are overweight. Children are also | | | | these evaluations. |
| suffering from the diseases associated with obesity | | | | • In general, those who have undergone gastric |
| and disease traditionally seen only in older people, like | | | | bypass surgery are advised to avoid pregnancy at |
| diabetes and heart disease. Because of these health | | | | least two years after the surgery. This is to avoid |
| problems, they are looking for weight-loss options and | | | | any complications and increasing risk to the fetus |
| gastric bypass surgery is one of them. | | | | because of drastic weight loss. Anybody, not only |
| Gastric bypass surgery is not the popular among the | | | | teens, should be aware and agree on this. |
| young population though. About 1% of those who | | | | • Prepared to follow strict dietary regulations after |
| undergo the procedure are teens according to the | | | | the surgery. There is a strict diet that patients should |
| survey reported in Archives of Pediatric and | | | | follow like low sugar, low fat, low-carbohydrates, and |
| Adolescent Medicine in March 2007. There is a | | | | low-calories meal plans. |
| relative increase on the number of teens undergoing | | | | • Have a supportive environment. Because of the |
| the procedure, but still remains unpopular or | | | | dramatic change in their lifestyle, teens should have |
| uncommon. | | | | supportive family environment that will be able to guide |
| Sadly, obese children think that they are living a kind of | | | | them to the different changes. Often times, there are |
| life like those who have cancer and undergoing | | | | patients of weight loss surgeries who would suffer |
| chemotherapy, according to the survey done by the | | | | from different physiological and psychological |
| Journal of the American Medical Association. Teens | | | | side-effects, like depression. Families should be |
| suffering from obesity would deal with being teased, | | | | prepared in helping their children through these stages. |
| socially not accepted, and unable to participate in social | | | | There are doctors who would say that conducting |
| activities. | | | | gastric bypass or other bariatric surgery on teen-agers |
| Not all obese teens are recommended to undergo | | | | are safer than conducting the procedure with adults. |
| gastric bypass surgery. According to the American | | | | Teens have not developed any case of |
| Academy of Pediatrics in 2004, there are guidelines | | | | obesity-related problems like high blood pressure and |
| that should be considered before a teen or an | | | | heart disease which are common among adults and |
| adolescent is recommended for gastric bypass or any | | | | also increases the risks of surgeries. Teens also heal |
| weight-loss surgery: | | | | faster and required less time spent in the hospital. |
| • Failed to lose weight by any organized attempt of | | | | There are many benefits by undergoing gastric |
| weight management for the last six or more months, | | | | bypass and weight-loss surgeries. Some patients |
| with an assistance of a doctor. | | | | would even report losing 5% of their weight within the |
| • Have reached a physiological and skeletal | | | | first month and about 50 to 60% within a year. |
| maturity. Adolescents that have reached an age (or | | | | Associated obesity related problems are also reduced |
| older) of 13 years old for girls and 15 years old for | | | | by having the surgery. However, not everybody is |
| boys have reached this level of maturity. | | | | recommended to undergo the procedure. |
| • Has a body mass index (BMI) of more than 40 | | | | Even a teen is required to have be able to make |
| associated with severe obesity-related problems. | | | | sound decisions, before undergoing surgery. Afterall, |
| Has body mass index of more than 50 even though | | | | maturity does not come with age. |
| there are no serious obesity-related problems. | | | | |