Posts Tagged ‘bariatric surgery’

People don’t like surgery. No matter how you put it, knives are scary. Even though data on the benefits of bariatric surgery could hardly be stronger, less than one percent of the people who could benefit actually choose to have bariatric surgery. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that new data on a nonsurgical gastric […]

We get it. Bariatric surgery – not unlike any surgery – costs real money. But unlike many other surgeries, health plans have a bagful of excuses for dodging the bill. One of those excuses for discrimination – mental health – may be evaporating. Good Outcomes, Even in Patients with Severe Mental Illness A new study in the May issue […]

Is evidence-based policy no more than a useful myth? Political science professor John Boswell clearly thinks so. And current headlines might suggest he’s right. Facts get twisted. Policymakers do what they want. Boswell explains his view in a paper that Governance will publish soon. For a case study, he uses bariatric surgery guidelines recently adopted by Britain’s National Institute […]

The medical benefits of bariatric surgery for teens with severe obesity has become increasingly clear as trials such as the Teen-LABS study are providing more data on long-term outcomes. In Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology this month, two more studies (here and here) provide evidence for long-term benefits. Subjective Resistance But the more difficult hurdle is […]

Today in the New England Journal of Medicine, five-year results of a randomized, controlled trial show that bariatric surgery is six times better than intensive medical treatment for controlling type 2 diabetes. That’s right. Six times better chances for success after five years. Without surgery, the outcomes were dramatically worse. This study, known as the […]

Here’s an unusual comparison. It contrasts the value of two different options for childhood obesity: a tax on sugary beverages versus bariatric surgery for adolescents. Steven Gortmaker and colleagues published this analysis in Health Affairs. Gortmaker presented the data yesterday in Washington, DC. Calling this an apples and oranges comparison would be generous. The basis for this comparison has two dimensions. First […]

When does a benefit not feel like a benefit? In the case of obesity care, that feeling comes with the perception that it’s just out of reach. Even though insurance coverage for obesity care is improving, a significant gap remains. And part of the problem is a perception gap. A new study published in Obesity […]

The new year brings new expectations. Sure, we always have new diet, nutrition, and weight loss fashions. But, in thinking about obesity and health, we can also expect some more substantive changes. Here’s our top ten for 2017. 1. More “Less Added Sugar.” Already, the pressure to avoid sugar was on. Now, new labeling for added sugar will dial […]

One of the Top 10 Advances of 2016 in obesity and health is better, more meaningful reporting. Gina Kolata of the New York Times has been producing outstanding reports on obesity for nearly a year. She continued yesterday with an in-depth story about the reality of bariatric surgery. Her latest report is the story of […]

If you’re looking for signs of progress in obesity and health, you can find it in 2016. Obesity is a tough nut to crack, so we don’t have breakthroughs and cures to report – yet. What we have is solid advances that will make life and health better for people concerned about obesity. Here’s our […]