Study: Surgery For Obesity May Not Have Long-Term Effects
By KYW medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - You have probably heard about bariatric surgery -- surgery designed to help those who are morbidly obese. There are many techniques, including a very popular one called the "gastric sleeve."
One of the arguments is you can take someone who has a BMI (Body Mass Index) that's greater than 40, and, not only reduce the average weight over time, but also decrease the risk of diabetes and lower blood sugar.
For many people the results have been dramatic.
But now a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association says there is a group over a long period of time who actually lose the effect and potentially could end up in a worse situation.
They stress the importance of not only getting counseling, but support after the surgery. It may be even more important than the actual procedure.