Posted by Patient Help Desk on July 12, 2008 under Bariatric Research News | 
As millions of formerly obese men and women have weight loss surgery, the success stories are growing at a fantastic rate. An increasingly growing body of research is illustrating the benefits of these life-changing procedures for those in need. Among the conditions found to be reduced and maintained with the completion of Lap-Band and/or gastric bypass procedures are diabetes and various cardiovascular risks, just to name a few.
But a ground-breaking study now indicates that undergoing these procedures may impart relief for lower back pain in the morbidly obese. The study’s findings actually represent a dramatic breakthrough for a large segment of the nation’s population. An estimated 75-85% of America’s adults can expect to suffer from back pain during their lifetime. And of course, the number of obese Americans is continually growing; from 2005-2006, there were thought to be 72 million obese Americans!
Generally, obese men and women are afflicted with higher rates of both hip and knee arthritis. As of yet, a link between being overweight and chronic lower back pain – specifically lumbar spinal degeneration, a leading cause – had yet to be discovered. These patients are usually ordered to just lose weight to relieve their back pain.
Putting This Back Study’s Findings Front & Center
This study, conducted by University of Southern California researchers, involved 8 morbidly obese men and 30 morbidly obese women patients. All of these subjects suffered from pre-existing back conditions, and all underwent gastric bypass surgery. Six months after having surgery and experiencing dramatic weight loss, the study’s subjects showed a 44% decrease in pain and discomfort. On average, the subjects each lost 85 pounds for their individual weight loss amounts.
“This study provides evidence that substantial weight reduction following bariatric surgery results in moderate reductions in pre-existing back pain within six months of weight loss,” says Dr. Paul Khoueir, who presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. “While this initial research is promising, larger long-term trials are needed to prove the efficacy of this treatment.” Additional research is needed to ensure that the study’s findings are reliable long-term.
Posted by Patient Help Desk on June 8, 2008 under Bariatric Research News |
Let’s see, if you’re considering undergoing bariatric surgery, what are some of the possible benefits? Well, of course there’s the motivation to control your hunger and drop those harmful, unwanted pounds. And of course, a growing number of studies suggest that these procedures may reduce the development of various cardiovascular conditions, as well as diabetes. But now, research is emerging that may point the way towards these procedures’ startling cancer-fighting potential!
According to a Canadian study, five years after having this procedure, breast and colon cancer rates were shown to decrease by 80%. These are two of the most common cancers types. For this study, it was found that breast cancer’s incidence rate decreased by 85%, while colon cancer incidence rates decreased by 70%.
So far, medical experts are unclear as to just how weight reduction contributes to decreases in cancer incidences. One theory proposed is that of the role of fat in various cancers, including breast cancer. Fat secretes estrogen, which may play a part in these cancers’ development. So if this fat is lost, it may reduce cancer development, while also decreasing amounts of potentially harmful hormones, as well.
“This is really powerful information,” says Dr. Philip Schauer of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, as well as the past president of the American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. “It reaffirms that obesity is a profound risk factor for cancer” and shows that “weight loss does seem to affect the development of new cancers.”
However, this attitude is not universally shared by all researchers. First and foremost, the study only goes back five years, and cancer typically requires much longer to form. In addition, before these patients undergo weight loss surgery, they receive various cancer-screening tests, such as colonoscopies, endoscopies and mammograms. Plus, it’s important to point out that the study’s subjects were Canadian, meaning they may not have received continuous cancer screenings. Finally, a large percentage of the study’s subjects had their procedures as long ago as 15 years; as a result, any cancers were given the proper amount of development time.
Posted by Patient Help Desk on May 4, 2008 under Bariatric Research News |
Are you familiar with your Body Mass Index (BMI) score? You may want to learn yours, especially if you’re struggling with excessive weight. You see, this number can help to determine whether you’re at risk for cardiovascular problems!
To calculate your BMI score, you need to figure out the ratio of your weight to your height, squared.
Typically, a “healthy” BMI score is one between 18.5 and 24.9. Countless clinical studies have shown that the higher the BMI score, the greater your likelihood of developing a wide array of harmful conditions. Among these are: diabetes, arthritis, low-back pain, skin and psychological disorders, menstrual disturbances, and various cardiovascular problems.
How Effective Are BMI Scores for Those Considering Weight Loss Surgery?
But before you panic, it’s important to consider that BMI scores are NOT fool-proof. They can fail to accurately recognize body fat among athletes and more muscular people, while also miscalculating decreased muscle mass, such as that of the elderly.
The overweight and the obese may be misrepresented by BMI scores, as well. Traditionally, medical experts believed that the overweight and obese could ward off cardiovascular risks by undergoing bariatric surgery.
These procedures were performed on men and women with BMI scores of 40 or higher, or those at least 100 pounds overweight, considered “morbidly obese.”
The problem is, many patients are considered overweight, but NOT obese; these men and women generally have BMI scores between 35 and 40. These individuals can be afflicted with dangerous conditions, including heart disease or dependent diabetes. As such, these patients are good candidates for weight loss procedures. Amazingly, research has shown that the overweight may find the surgeries more beneficial than the morbidly obese!
A ground-breaking University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center study focused on this proposed connection between bariatric surgery guidelines and how they related to BMI scores and cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that several subjects displayed significant heart disease risk factors, as well as BMI scores lower than 40.
Valuable Benefits for “Obese” Patients
What does this mean? Well, those patients considered “obese” but not “morbidly obese” would definitely improve their cardiovascular health by undergoing bariatric surgery. This is because certain moderately overweight individuals don’t store fat in their cells as efficiently as the morbidly obese. Therefore, their cardiovascular systems are not as susceptible to potential damage.
Surprisingly, even those men and women with BMI scores as low as 30 can as poor cardiovascular health as those with much higher scores. “Our results show that cardiovascular risk factors do not necessarily worsen with increasing obesity,” says Dr. Edward Livingston, chairman of GI/endocrine surgery at UT Southwestern and the study’s lead author. “They also support the concept that obesity, by itself, doesn’t trigger an adverse cardiovascular risk profile or increased risk of death.”
Posted by Patient Help Desk on April 5, 2008 under Bariatric Research News |
How’s this for an interesting and potentially happy healthcare situation? The all-too-common condition known as type 2 diabetes is unfortunately a likely companion for the morbidly obese. However, a recent study indicates that by undergoing bariatric surgery, these men and women may be provided with powerful relief for this condition!
Specifically, this study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that those patients who have bariatric surgery may actually be rewarded with complete remission. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked with obesity; typically, its treatment involves healthy nutrition, an exercise program to lose weight, and insulin and other medications.
Exploring the Diabetes/Obesity Link
According to the American Diabetes Association, about 90% of all newly diagnosed patients are overweight; being obese causes the risks to skyrocket. Additionally, this condition is now the nation’s 5th leading cause of death. However, this JAMA study is thought to be the pioneer in illustrating the association between bariatric surgery and its proposed diabetes benefits. The findings showed that 73% of the study’s 60 subjects that had bariatric surgery experienced NO signs of the disease!
The study incorporated the lap-band, or adjustable gastric banding surgical method. With this minimally invasive procedure, patients are able to feel full, while eating less. So, they can lose weight and maintain this weight loss. The JAMA study was particularly ground-breaking in that it provided amazing evidence for the possibility of treating type 2 diabetes with bariatric surgery, rather than medical treatments.
There is a great deal of controversy over health insurers’ coverage of lap-band and other bariatric procedures. While Medicare offers coverage for patients with body mass index (BMI) scores of 40 or higher, various private insurers deny coverage. However, in light of this study’s findings, these insurers may change their coverage policies.
The researchers cautioned that these findings applied only to those diabetics with mild cases. For these patients, it was thought that lap-band procedures could lessen the disease’s severity, or even completely eliminate it. More serious, long-term conditions were not thought to achieve remission, no matter the level of weight loss. Nevertheless, medical experts hold out hope for all diabetics.
Tags: bariatric surgery, diabetes, healthy diet, healthy living, medical weight loss, medical weight loss center, obesity, type 2 diabetes, weight loss, weight loss surgeon, weight loss surgery
