Teens and Obesity: Is Surgery the Right Call?
It is estimated that nearly a third of American children are considered obese. Just under 10 percent of kids ages 12 to 19 are described as morbidly or extremely obese by their healthcare providers. With Body Mass Indexes of 40 or higher, these youngsters are at very high risk for developing serious medical complications generally associated with adults much earlier in life. Diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea and high cholesterol may all be dangers for the very young who are considered severely overweight. In addition, life expectancy for obese youth tends to be much lower as a result of those potential complications. Children with BMIs of 55 to 60, for example, may see their life expectancies fall by 13 years or more. As the obesity epidemic continues in America, more families are turning to weight loss surgery to assist their children in shedding pounds and keeping them off. Some procedures are available to assist teens in getting and keeping their weight in check. When exploring t