Doctor Victor Gonzalez, a renowned Dallas bariatric surgeon at the Center for Obesity Surgery Dallas, discusses the recent news surrounding Allergan’s request for the FDA to approve lap band surgery in teenagers.

An increased amount of overweight teenagers may have the opportunity to turn their weight around through Lap-Band procedures — possibly even with FDA approval. Currently, minors must have their parent's consent, however Allergan, the Lap-Band creator, has requested that the FDA approve Lap-Band procedures for patients more than 14 years old.

A spokesperson for Allergan, Cathy Taylor, said that the company made the recent request because of the increase in obese teenagers, and the disease's correlation to life-threatening conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

"In addition, the prevalence of obesity continues to rise, making it a significant health epidemic," said Taylor. "Due to all of the above, Allergan continues to be committed to the research and development of the Lap-Band System to help those affected by obesity, to improve their health and lives."

Since the Lap-Band System is not currently FDA-approved for medical use in patients that are younger than 18 years of age, Cathy Taylor stated, "Allergan does not promote the use of the product with adolescents. Therefore, we cannot elaborate on the potential benefit of Lap-Band in this patient population."

However that does not mean that Allergan is not working to prove that it is beneficial to adolescents. FDA's spokesperson, Amanda Sena, confirmed that Allergan is currently conducting clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of the Lap-Band in the morbidly obese teen population in the United States.

The Lap-Band surgery procedure in teens remains a controversial issue. While some obesity specialists agree that the surgery should indeed be available for teens, others protest that this procedure should only be a last resort in this particular age group, if not forbidden altogether.

Associate Director of Bariatric Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, Dr. John Holup, is one of the medical advocates for the approval of the Lap-Band procedure for teens.

"If this is a safe, sustainable, significant way to lose weight, then why not do that?" said Holup, who does not perform pediatric Lap-Band procedures. "If you wait until 18, the cat's out of the bag. Many people will already have irreversible cardiac damage. Plus, the psychological damage is amazingly terrible for these kids."

Experts shared that every surgery has risks, which include reaction to general anesthesia, bleeding and post-operative infection. Additional risks specific to the Lap-Band procedure include the shifting or wearing away of the Lap-Band and device malfunction.

Dr. John Holup stated that even with the above surgery risks, due to the fact that morbidly obese people have such a difficult time losing weight on their own, the benefits of the Lap-Band surgery far exceed the risks.

Duke University Medical Center's Pediatric Obesity Expert, Dr. Caren Mangarelli, agreed that the procedure is appropriate for a carefully selected group of mature teenagers as part of a comprehensive weight management program. However, she added that obesity needs to be evaluated carefully by examining lifestyle choices, environmental factors and genetics.

"In order to combat obesity, we need to come at it from multiple angles, including the use of more radical or invasive tools such as bariatric surgery," said Mangarelli. "That said, it is only one tool that needs to be used in the context of other lifestyle changes that the patients make."

Many have argued that Lap Band surgery is more appropriate for teens than other weight loss surgeries, i.e. gastric sleeve bypass, because it has a lower morbidity rate, it is less associated with nutritional deficiencies and it is reversible. While other experts say that there is not enough data to fully understand the complications of the procedure and the long-term side effects.

Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, stated that "As a society, we are woefully misguided if we rely on a surgical solution rather than do all we can to cultivate opportunities for every teen to be physically active and eat well every day." 

"I think [these surgeries] are symptomatic of a society that looks to pounds of cure while neglecting ounces of prevention," Katz said. "The mindset that surgery for weight control is anything other than a last resort is potentially quite harmful."

However Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding, associate professor of surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center disagreed, stating that many obese people turn on a healthier path after the Lap-Band procedure.

"Lap-Band surgeries help promote healthy lifestyles because they initially take away appetite and improve a sense of fullness with smaller portions of food – resulting in weight loss," said Ren-Fielding. "Once a teenager begins losing, they become more comfortable in participating in exercise and daily activities. They are both more physically able to do it, and less socially inhibited to try."

Dr. Victor Gonzalez and Dr. Lawrence Barzune are the respected Dallas bariatric doctors that comprise the Center for Obesity Surgery Dallas that is conveniently located at Medical City Dallas Hospital in Dallas, TX. A full spectrum of medical procedures are performed that include; the adjustable gastric band (Lap-Band), sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, gallbladder and hernia surgery to name a few. Since 1979, this dynamic practice has been helping patients reshape their lives, forging lifelong relationships with families in Dallas, TX and throughout the United States!

Doctor Gonzalez is also part of the team of bariatric surgeons at the Advanced Bariatric Center of Dallas.
He recently announced an exciting program to help more of his patients realize their dream of losing weight.
Cash pricing will be $7,999 for lapband surgery or $8,999 for gastric sleeve surgery; both of these weight loss surgery procedures will be done at Forest Park Medical Center’s state-of-the-art facility in Dallas, TX.
This is for a limited time, so call now to schedule a consultation that can change your life forever!   

Victor Gonzalez, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Board Certified General Surgery
Fellowship Trained Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
ObesitySurgeryDallas.com
(972) 566-7810

According to the American Academy of Dermatology all persons should protect their skin from the sun.  Whether it is sun exposure incurred from either a day at the pool, sitting by a window, or simply walking from the house to the car, the sun’s ultraviolet rays increase one’s risk for skin cancer and cause aging of the skin.  By applying a sun screen to your skin daily and wearing adequate clothing an individual can go a long way at preventing the potential adverse effects of sun exposure.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sun screen with a sun protection factor of at least 15 and UVA/UVB protection. It should be applied 15-30 minutes prior to sun exposure and at least one ounce should be used with each application for an average adult. Reapplication should occur at least every 2 hours and more frequently if one is swimming, perspiring heavily, or toweling off.  There are also a variety of clothing companies that produce clothing that is designed specifically to protect the skin from the sun. Everyday clothing provides a degree of sun protection, especially those articles with a tight weave.

Everyone wants to maintain a youthful appearance and prevent skin cancer.  By protecting your skin from the sun an individual can go a long way in obtaining these goals. Dr. Burns can be reached at 972-335-2727 or visit them on the web at http://www.mydermconsult.com John Burns, PA-CFellowship trained in Dermatology

Dermatology Consultants of Frisco

 

Why would I choose Chiropractic care?  This is a question that many people may be asking when deciding on what form of healthcare would be best for them.  They may have heard of Chiropractic from a colleague, neighbor, or friend, but may wonder what the fuss is all about. 

Chiropractic focuses on musculoskeletal conditions of the spine and extremities.  Chiropractic produces results by helping your nervous system work the way it should.  By adjusting the biomechanics and reducing the stress off of the nervous system, simply put - we allow our bodies to function at a better level. 

It is a scientific fact that your brain, spinal cord and the rest of your nerves control every aspect of your body.  Your nervous system can be stressed three different ways:  physical, chemical, and emotional.  Physical stresses can be mechanical alterations produced by poor posture, bad sleeping habits, or even trauma to the nervous system, such as an accident or a fall.  Chemical stresses would include toxins in the environment, chemicals in our foods that we eat, or liquids that we consume on a daily basis.  Over a period of time, an overload of these toxins can produce a horrible stress on your nervous system.  An emotional stress would be stress of your job, kids, or death of a loved one.  Stress produces an altered effect of your adrenal system, which prolonged, can be harmful to your nervous system.  It affects your blood pressure, weight gain, and even hormonal changes can occur within the body. 

When choosing a Chiropractor, choose one who focuses in on an area which may fit your needs.   Call the office and ask to schedule a consultation with the doctor.  Most doctors offer a 10 – 15 minute initial consultation at no charge or a small fee.  This is a great way to meet the doctor and tour the office as well.  Feel free to ask questions.  Remove any fears or concerns you may have regarding your care.

I am looking forward to writing articles for realfrisco.com.  Each week, I will try to answer common questions that patients in my practice have, that I know many of our readers have.  Also, I will give health tips regarding posture, nutrition, and sleeping habits.   This is a great outlet to serve my community in which I live. 

Yours in Health,

Christopher Plate, DC

Select Chiropractic, Frisco

The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, an eating plan that was originally touted to reduce high blood pressure in adults, has been found to keep adolescent girls trimmer between the ages of 9 and 19 years of age.

Researchers report that teen girls whose daily food intake most resembled the DASH diet had the smallest gains in body mass index (BMI) over a 10 year period, and the lowest BMIs recorded at the end of the follow-up period.

The DASH diet plan emphasizes higher consumption of low-fat dairy products; chicken, lean meats and fish; and fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes and vegetables. Long promoted by the American Heart Association, multiple studies have revealed that the DASH diet leads to significant blood pressure reduction.

"I think these were the results we were hoping to find," said study author Dr. Jonathan Berz, an assistant professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine. "It's true, on the one hand, that this is common sense. What's perhaps new is that few studies look at overall eating patterns in relation to weight gain compared to individual foods, and over a long period."

The study is published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, June 2011 issue.

Chief of bariatric surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, Dr. Mitchell Roslin, stated that young people tend to have better success at weight control with dietary education and behavioral therapy. However, Dr. Roslin shared that the message of the study is probably lost on most Americans who, despite the prevalence of nutritional information, continue to grow heavier.

According to the study, seventeen percent of children are overweight, and more than two-thirds of adults are either overweight or obese in the United States.

"I don't necessarily feel the results are earth-shattering or incredibly impressive, but I think people have to give up on the (idea) that we can educate ourselves out of the obesity epidemic," Dr. Roslin said.

Dr. Joseph Diamond, a fellow at the American Society of Hypertension, said that one benefit for young people who follow the DASH diet will be better overall health as they age.

"There's going to be less likelihood to progress to hypertension, either if they're genetically prone or because of poor lifestyle," said Dr. Diamond, also director of nuclear cardiology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y. "It's going to help prevent heart attack at that classic middle age, where it's so prevalent. And I think starting between 9 and 19 is the right time to do it."

Dr. Victor Gonzalez, bariatric surgeon at The Center for Obesity Surgery Dallas, said “The national statistics are staggering as we continue the battle to fight morbid obesity. We are keenly aware of the need to educate children about the disease’s correlation to life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Our focus is to promote healthy lifestyle changes in order to help them avoid and overcome weight problems. We want to improve their lives!”

Dr. Gonzalez offers effective medical weight loss options to his patients as well as weight loss surgery procedures; gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and lap band surgery when medically proven as the best option for the patient. The journey to help his patients realize their dream of achieving an optimum weight is multi-faceted involving; education on nutrition and exercise, complimented by free seminars and monthly support groups to insure their success. Dr. Gonzalez recently announced an exciting program for uninsured patients or those whose insurance denied them coverage for bariatric surgery. Cash pricing will be $7,999 for lap-band surgery or $8,999 for gastric sleeve surgery for a limited time, so call now to schedule a consultation that can change your life forever!

This respected Dallas bariatric practice has been helping patients reshape their lives since 1979!

Victor Gonzalez, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Board Certified General Surgery
Fellowship Trained Bariatric and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
ObesitySurgeryDallas.com
(972)566-7810