January 2014
Second
study in teens shows few complications in first 30 days after surgery
National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded researchers found
that adults with severe obesity had significant weight loss 3 years after
bariatric surgery, with the majority losing the most weight during the first
year. A separate study in teens with severe obesity found few incidences of
complications in the first 30 days after bariatric surgery. These studies are
part of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS) and Teen-LABS.
More than one-third of U.S. adults are obese, defined as having a body mass
index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and almost 17 percent of youth are also obese.
Severe obesity is a BMI of 35 or more in adults and teens. BMI measures weight
in relation to height.
Both studies are funded by the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of NIH.
LABS found that adults who had either Roux-en-Y gastric
bypass or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding had significant weight loss 3
years after surgery, with the majority losing the most weight during the first
year. Researchers identified five different weight change patterns for each surgery.
There were also varied improvements to diabetes, abnormal lipids, and high
blood pressure among participants who had these health problems prior to
surgery. LABS is an ongoing study, and its researchers will conduct longer-term
follow-up on participants’ health and weight statuses.
Teen-LABS found that 30 days after surgery short-term
complications were low, which researchers view as important information to help
doctors and families better evaluate the risks and benefits of the procedure.
Teen-LABS investigators will continue to follow participants to determine
longer-term health and weight outcomes of bariatric surgery in teens.
NIH launched LABS in 2003 and Teen-LABS in 2007 to assess
the short- and longer-term risks and benefits of bariatric surgery among adults
and teens with severe obesity.
For full LABS study findings in the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA), go to http://bit.ly/1iHFRux. For full Teen-LABS
study findings in JAMA Pediatrics, go to http://bit.ly/17j6rj9.
To learn more about
weight-loss surgery, see WIN’s Bariatric Surgery for Severe Obesity.
What’s new with WIN publications?
Start your New Year with a new, healthier you
Whether you plan to adopt new healthy habits, want to be
more active, or are thinking about starting a family this year, WIN’s newly
revised publications can help you get off to a healthy start. They can help
your patients and clients with their New Year’s goals too.
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This
updated fact sheet offers strategies to help you (or your clients) improve
eating and physical activity habits. It outlines four stages people may go
through when making a change: contemplation, preparation, action, and
maintenance.
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Part
of WIN’s Lifespan Series, this revised brochure provides easy-to-read advice
about healthy weight gain, nutrition, and physical activity for pregnant women.
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Beating
your roadblocks to being physically active can be hard. Whether you are short
on time, low on funds, or just not motivated, this updated brochure can help
you find new ways to be active. It also features places where you or clients
can write down goals, as well as barriers to activity and plans to work past
them.
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Watch
for the next issue of the WIN Notes
Update for . . .
. .
. ideas for celebrating American Heart Month in February.
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