Introduction
These days, it is not a strange sight to stumble upon parents with cute and chubby children. It is a sign of health, as the elders said. Chained to this belief, parents frequently feed their child without realizing about the nutritional consequences, often resulting in poor eating habits. As the child gets fatter, parents think that they have done a good job. What they failed to realize is that they are actually destroying their child’s life.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportion, and what worries us, the incidence has shifted towards teenagers and children. Statistics have shown that the number of overweight teenagers and children in United States has tripled for the past three decades, where approximately 15% of the age group is overweight (Buchwald, 2004). The trend has also been observed worldwide. In Malaysia, Sherina & Rozali (2004) quoted a research done by Ismail & Vickneswary (1999) that the prevalence of obesity children has raised from 1% to 6% in a period of only seven years. It is also quoted by the same author a survey done by Ismail & Tan (1998) that the prevalence of obesity is increasing with age.
Along with the distressing numbers, bariatric surgery has gained much popularity as a treatment for morbid obesity because of the high weight loss rate and improvement on patients’ health. Bariatric comes from Greek word which means obesity treatment. Thus, the term bariatric surgery refers to any surgical intervention in order to treat obesity. Buchwald (2004) stated that “bariatric surgery is the most effective therapy available for morbid obesity and can result in improvement or complete resolution of obesity comorbidities”. According to Weber et al (2008), there are currently two treatment options that are widely used; gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric banding. The choice of these treatments is based on least complications with significant weight loss. However, because of the high rate of weight loss and efficiency, gastric bypass is superior to adjustable gastric banding in choice of treatment.
Since then, there are suggestions that bariatric surgery should be offered as option to treat obesity in teenagers. In fact, it is estimated that up to 500 teenagers have attempted surgery to overcome their weight problem each year (Roker, 2004). Warman (2005) stated that at Magee Women’s Hospital of UPMC alone, 12 applications were received between 1999 and 2002, while more than 100 cases were recorded between 2002 and 2004.
Despite the increasing popularity, some experts oppose the idea of bariatric surgery for teenagers. Dr. Diana Farmer from UCSF Children’s Hospital stated in the Oprah television show dated 4 February 2008 that children are not ready to make decisions that will affect them for the rest of their life. Saunders (2009) also stated that a lot of people are asking whether this burden should be given to teenagers. Although the success rate of undergoing bariatric surgery is convincing in adults, the data for teenagers is insufficient and scarce (August et al, 2008). Thus, it raises controversy; is it really safe for them?
This paper will discuss the hazardous effects of both the surgeries and why it should not be done on teenagers. Thus, I strongly believe that bariatric surgery should not be offered as an option to treat obesity in teenagers because it causes deficiencies of nutrients essential for growth; permanent changes of patients’ lifestyle; and severe complications as a result from surgery.
These days, it is not a strange sight to stumble upon parents with cute and chubby children. It is a sign of health, as the elders said. Chained to this belief, parents frequently feed their child without realizing about the nutritional consequences, often resulting in poor eating habits. As the child gets fatter, parents think that they have done a good job. What they failed to realize is that they are actually destroying their child’s life.
Obesity has reached epidemic proportion, and what worries us, the incidence has shifted towards teenagers and children. Statistics have shown that the number of overweight teenagers and children in United States has tripled for the past three decades, where approximately 15% of the age group is overweight (Buchwald, 2004). The trend has also been observed worldwide. In Malaysia, Sherina & Rozali (2004) quoted a research done by Ismail & Vickneswary (1999) that the prevalence of obesity children has raised from 1% to 6% in a period of only seven years. It is also quoted by the same author a survey done by Ismail & Tan (1998) that the prevalence of obesity is increasing with age.
Along with the distressing numbers, bariatric surgery has gained much popularity as a treatment for morbid obesity because of the high weight loss rate and improvement on patients’ health. Bariatric comes from Greek word which means obesity treatment. Thus, the term bariatric surgery refers to any surgical intervention in order to treat obesity. Buchwald (2004) stated that “bariatric surgery is the most effective therapy available for morbid obesity and can result in improvement or complete resolution of obesity comorbidities”. According to Weber et al (2008), there are currently two treatment options that are widely used; gastric bypass, and adjustable gastric banding. The choice of these treatments is based on least complications with significant weight loss. However, because of the high rate of weight loss and efficiency, gastric bypass is superior to adjustable gastric banding in choice of treatment.
Since then, there are suggestions that bariatric surgery should be offered as option to treat obesity in teenagers. In fact, it is estimated that up to 500 teenagers have attempted surgery to overcome their weight problem each year (Roker, 2004). Warman (2005) stated that at Magee Women’s Hospital of UPMC alone, 12 applications were received between 1999 and 2002, while more than 100 cases were recorded between 2002 and 2004.
Despite the increasing popularity, some experts oppose the idea of bariatric surgery for teenagers. Dr. Diana Farmer from UCSF Children’s Hospital stated in the Oprah television show dated 4 February 2008 that children are not ready to make decisions that will affect them for the rest of their life. Saunders (2009) also stated that a lot of people are asking whether this burden should be given to teenagers. Although the success rate of undergoing bariatric surgery is convincing in adults, the data for teenagers is insufficient and scarce (August et al, 2008). Thus, it raises controversy; is it really safe for them?
This paper will discuss the hazardous effects of both the surgeries and why it should not be done on teenagers. Thus, I strongly believe that bariatric surgery should not be offered as an option to treat obesity in teenagers because it causes deficiencies of nutrients essential for growth; permanent changes of patients’ lifestyle; and severe complications as a result from surgery.
2 comments:
Yeah I agree with them. Bariatric Surgery is not for teen. After that you have to take much care of your body. You have to change your eating habits. For teen it is not safe. They can go for other way to lose weight by doing exercise and following balanced diet. In that age all body part get more and more vitamins and nutrients.
Bariatric Surgery
Thanks for sharing this wonderful information to us. It is very useful to all. Nice post.
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