LOS ANGELES — Gastric-banding surgery appears to be significantly more effective than lifestyle interventions in helping severely obese teenagers lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off, a new study suggests.
In the U.S., the banding procedure is available to adolescents only through research studies. It involves placing an adjustable device on the upper part of the stomach and creating a pouch that can hold only small amounts of food, creating feelings of fullness sooner.
With the health benefits of gastric-bypass surgery becoming more obvious, however, some doctors hope the band will be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for adolescents. Other forms of gastric-bypass surgery can be used in teenagers, but the banding device is considered less invasive and less permanent.
The randomized study, reported online Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, included 50 Australian teens ages 14 to 18 with a body mass index of more than 35 (considered severely obese). Half received the surgery; the other half took part in a lifestyle intervention that included individualized diet plans, exercise sessions with a trainer, and follow-ups with health care providers.
All the teens lost weight over two years, but those who had surgery came out ahead. They lost about 79 percent of their excess weight, compared with about 13 percent in the lifestyle group.
