Wednesday, February 10, 2010 MELBOURNE: Australian researchers Wednesday said a new study supported the use of lap-band surgery for severely overweight teenagers after it found the procedure helped them lose 80 percent of their excess fat. The study, conducted at Monash University and the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, showed dramatically better results among adolescents who had the surgery, compared with those on a strict diet and exercise regime. It found that after two years, teens who underwent the appetite-reducing procedure lost an average of 79 percent of their excess weight, while those who stuck to the rigorous lifestyle shed just 13 percent. "While this study confirms that some adolescents can achieve substantial weight loss and health improvements through diet and exercise, gastric banding should be considered for those severely obese adolescents who find primary weight loss methods unsuccessful," study author Professor Paul O'Brien said. ...
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