Obesity is referring to excessive amount of body fat in a human body. The World Health Organization (2003) has reported that billions of people all over the world are overweight and roughly 300 million of these individuals are classified as obese. Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, approximately 17.1% of the 3,958 children who participated in the research study were overweight and that 35% of children between the age brackets of 6 to 19 years old are seriously overweight (Ogden et al., 2006).
Obesity is a common health problem in developed and developing countries. A traditional way to lose weight is by controlling diet and promoting physical activities. In line with this, the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association has been strongly promoting the importance of following the low-fat dietary guidelines set for individuals who would want to lose their excess weight. On the other hand, the Atkins diet and Zone diet are suggesting the need to cut down on the intake of carbohydrates in a person’s diet.
Importance of Diet and Exercise
As compared to the practice of low-fat diet, the practice of low-carbohydrate diet was seen more effective in terms of improving weight lose and reduce the patients’ risk for cardiovascular diseases but not the patients’ blood sugar level (Hession et al., 2008). Regardless of the type of diet obese individuals would accept, several studies revealed that effective weight loss will improve cholesterol (Hession et al., 2008; Tay et al., 2008). Not applicable with high fat and low-carbohydrate diet, the research findings of Tay et al. (2008) showed that the adaptation of low-fat diet is more effective in terms of improving the LDL and total cholesterol levels but not the levels of HDL and triglyceride.
In the absence of a significant decrease in a person's weight, the practice of following either low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet will not improve the patient’s cholesterol level. The only benefit that obese patients would receive out of practicing low-carbohydrate diet and/or low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet is that obese individuals are unlikely to gain back the weight they have lost easily because of metabolic backfire (Howard et al., 2006).
Another kind of diet is the Mediterranean diet which strongly promotes the intake of high fiber and monounsaturated fats such as the use of olive oil in cooking foods. In line with the practice of this particular diet, Shai et al. (2008) revealed that Mediterranean diet is effective in terms of reducing weight more than the practice of low-fat diet especially in the case of diabetic patients.
Equally important in losing weight is physical exercise. Exercise enables a person to burn extra calories that can form as excess body fats when left unused. When combined with proper diet, studies revealed that physical activities could increase the success that obese individuals would lose weight safely (Tay et al., 2008; Howard et al., 2006; Ogden et al., 2006).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is a surgical procedure that is commonly used for decrease the weight of obese individuals. Basically, the main purpose of placing adjustable silicone band around the upper part of the stomach is reduces the size of the stomach. This is necessary to make obese person feel full and eat less.
The different types of gastric banding include the gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery and vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG). VBG procedure has a higher complication rate that the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery. Therefore, less commonly used today.
Obesity is a common health problem in developed and developing countries. A traditional way to lose weight is by controlling diet and promoting physical activities. In line with this, the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association has been strongly promoting the importance of following the low-fat dietary guidelines set for individuals who would want to lose their excess weight. On the other hand, the Atkins diet and Zone diet are suggesting the need to cut down on the intake of carbohydrates in a person’s diet.
Importance of Diet and Exercise
As compared to the practice of low-fat diet, the practice of low-carbohydrate diet was seen more effective in terms of improving weight lose and reduce the patients’ risk for cardiovascular diseases but not the patients’ blood sugar level (Hession et al., 2008). Regardless of the type of diet obese individuals would accept, several studies revealed that effective weight loss will improve cholesterol (Hession et al., 2008; Tay et al., 2008). Not applicable with high fat and low-carbohydrate diet, the research findings of Tay et al. (2008) showed that the adaptation of low-fat diet is more effective in terms of improving the LDL and total cholesterol levels but not the levels of HDL and triglyceride.
In the absence of a significant decrease in a person's weight, the practice of following either low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet will not improve the patient’s cholesterol level. The only benefit that obese patients would receive out of practicing low-carbohydrate diet and/or low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet is that obese individuals are unlikely to gain back the weight they have lost easily because of metabolic backfire (Howard et al., 2006).
Another kind of diet is the Mediterranean diet which strongly promotes the intake of high fiber and monounsaturated fats such as the use of olive oil in cooking foods. In line with the practice of this particular diet, Shai et al. (2008) revealed that Mediterranean diet is effective in terms of reducing weight more than the practice of low-fat diet especially in the case of diabetic patients.
Equally important in losing weight is physical exercise. Exercise enables a person to burn extra calories that can form as excess body fats when left unused. When combined with proper diet, studies revealed that physical activities could increase the success that obese individuals would lose weight safely (Tay et al., 2008; Howard et al., 2006; Ogden et al., 2006).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gastric Banding
Gastric banding is a surgical procedure that is commonly used for decrease the weight of obese individuals. Basically, the main purpose of placing adjustable silicone band around the upper part of the stomach is reduces the size of the stomach. This is necessary to make obese person feel full and eat less.
The different types of gastric banding include the gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery and vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG). VBG procedure has a higher complication rate that the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery. Therefore, less commonly used today.
As a standard operating procedure, it is ethical for surgeons and other health care professionals to discuss with patients regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a particular medical or surgical procedure before allowing the patients to decide whether to accept or reject the treatment. However, there will always be some health care professionals who are after money more than promoting the welfare of the patients.
To give you a better idea regarding the health consequences of gastric banding, I have intentionally included some concrete evidences that could make more people think twice about deciding to go for gastric banding.
Any form of skin opening such as wound or surgical incision is a potential entry port for microorganisms to invade and destroy the natural flora of the human body. Except for the possibility that the silicone band might erode, this medical concept gives us the rationale behind further health complications of going through the surgical procedure.
Some excessively overweight individuals are willing to spend big amount of money for surgical procedures that will make them easily lose weight. Since there is a market for risky surgical procedures like gastric banding, there are medical professionals in different countries that aggressively promote gastric banding despite the potential health consequences the patients may experience in the future.
Dapri, Cadiere, & Himpens (2009) revealed that the practice of laparoscopic conversion of adjustable gastric banding is effective and feasible except for the incidence of one (1) death. Although gastric banding is effective in terms of enabling obese individuals to easily lose weight, it is undeniable that many of these individuals who undergo gastric banding are facing the risks of short- and long-term health-related complications.
Any form of skin opening such as wound or surgical incision is a potential entry port for microorganisms to invade and destroy the natural flora of the human body. Except for the possibility that the silicone band might erode, this medical concept gives us the rationale behind further health complications of going through the surgical procedure.
Some excessively overweight individuals are willing to spend big amount of money for surgical procedures that will make them easily lose weight. Since there is a market for risky surgical procedures like gastric banding, there are medical professionals in different countries that aggressively promote gastric banding despite the potential health consequences the patients may experience in the future.
Dapri, Cadiere, & Himpens (2009) revealed that the practice of laparoscopic conversion of adjustable gastric banding is effective and feasible except for the incidence of one (1) death. Although gastric banding is effective in terms of enabling obese individuals to easily lose weight, it is undeniable that many of these individuals who undergo gastric banding are facing the risks of short- and long-term health-related complications.
With regards to the safety issue on gastric banding, Keller et al. (2009) revealed that 30 out of 50 obese individuals had to undergo open surgery and that 1 out of 50 and 3 out of 50 experienced early and late complications after undergoing the gastric banding procedure.
As of 2009, it has been reported that the possible health complications of gastric banding includes: esophagitis (28.8%), pouch dilation (15.3%), esophageal dilation (12.5%), port problems (11%), band migration (6.5%), and band leakage (6.4%) (Mittermair et al., 2009). For this reason, 251 or 32% of the total research participants (785) had no choice but to undergo a re-operation procedure (ibid).
A proper diet combined with a regular exercise is still the safest way to lose weight. Before you even think about going through a gastric banding procedure, think about the health consequences first. The last video shows how bad a gastric band erosion looks like.
References:
- Dapri, G., Cadiere, G., & Himpens, J. (2009). Laparoscopic conversion of adjustable gastric banding and vertical banded gastroplasty to duodenal switch. Surgery of Obesity and Related Diseases , July 10. [Epub ahead of print].
- Hession, M., Rolland, C., Kulkarni, U., Wise, A., & Broom, J. (2008). Systematic review of randomized controlled trials of low-carbohydrate vs. low-fat/low-calorie diets in the management of obesity and its comorbidities. Obesity Reviews , 10(1):36 - 50.
- Howard, B., Manson, J., Stefanick, M., Beresford, S., Frank, G., Jones, B., et al. (2006). Low-fat dietary pattern and weight change over 7 years: the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial. Journal of American Medical Association , 295(1):39-49.
- Keller, P., Romain, B., Nicolae, M., Perrin, P., & Meyer, C. (2009). Is laparoscopic gastric bypass a dangerous procedure during the early phase of the learning curve? A prospective study of the first 50 cases. Journal de Chirurgie , September 17. [Epub ahead of print].
- Mittermair, R., Obermuller, S., Perathoner, A., Sieb, M., Aigner, F., & Margreiter, R. (2009). Results and Complications after Swedish Adjustable Gastric Banding-10 Years Experience. Obesity Surgery , September 18. [Epub ahead of print].
- Ogden, C., Carroll, M., Curtin, L., McDowell, M., Tabak, C., & Flegal, K. (2006). Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999-2004. The Journal of the American Medical Association , 295(13):1549 - 1551.
- Shai, I., Schwarzfuchs, D., Henkin, Y., Shahar, D., Witkow, S., Greenberg, I., et al. (2008). Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low-fat diet. New England Journal of Medicine , 359(3):229-241.
- Tay, J., Brinkworth, G., Noakes, M., Keogh, J., & Clifton, P. (2008). Metabolic effects of weight loss on a very-low-carbohydrate diet compared with an isocaloric high-carbohydrate diet in abdominally obese subjects. Journal of the American College of Cardiology , 51:59 - 67. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.08.050.
- World Health Organization. (2003). Retrieved September 21, 2009, from WHO definition of Health : http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html
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