Weight loss and bariatric surgery:some questions

[hedgehog]

1. Have there been any studies on the long term success of various types of surgery; is the weight loss permanent?

2. Have there been any studies comparing weight loss results between having bariatric surgery and going on the stringent diet required by bariatric surgery? In other words, say a patient went on the all liquids diet for a month, then soft foods only, then a maximum of 1 cup of food, etc, the typical post surgical diet; would the patient see similar results?

[MineralMan]

1. There's a lot of information.

Here's one web site:

http://www.thinnertimes.com/weight-loss-surgery/gastric-bypass/gastric-bypass-outcomes.html

Google bariatric surgery result for more.

[Sgent]

2. I can't answer #1

but #2 is fairly hopeless. There have been multiple studies on all liquid diets (Medifast and the like) and they have almost a 0% success rate after 3-5 years, and bariatric surgery is much better.

[hedgehog]

4. I'm asking the questions because I'm wondering what the difference

is between putting someone on a very calorie restricted diet and putting them on the same diet after surgically altering their digestive system.

Is the difference that most people with the surgery continue to eat severely restricted portions, while without the surgery they go back to eating normally or to excess?

I do know that there is an immediate improvement in insulin resistance post-surgery before any weight is lost.
I can't help but feel that there is very important information here about metabolism that is being missed by the medical establishment.

[Warpy]

3. It's variable

Make sure the surgery is reversible because some people have had trouble with it and have not been able to tolerate it long term. The weight loss is permanent only with people who are motivated to stick with the diet. Unmotivated people will start increasing their quantity of food and nibble constantly and be back to their post surgical weight.

Liquid diets are risky and should be done only under the close supervision of a doctor. Unfortunately, they run into the same problem that other deficiency diets do, that people tend to crack and pig out on all the stuff that has been torturing them in their dreams and daydreams.

Surgery might be the treatment of choice for life threatening obesity since it will get that weight down, although it's temporary if the person doesn't learn to eat correctly.

Weight Watchers is still the best program out there for people who don't have life threatening obesity since it's a life long program that stresses eating the whole variety of foods out there (even foods other diets forbid completely) as long as that diet is well balanced and healthful.

A combination of surgery and WW is probably the best for people who are morbidly obese and dedicated to making the lifelong changes that will insure long life.

[Lex]

5. After 5 years out, the weight starts coming back for many who've had

gastric bypass. The studies show good success for the the first 5 years, then "variability" after that (i.e. weight coming back for many).

Of course it depends on how well the person has incorporated daily exercise and eating healthy into their daily routine. I have a family member who had the surgery and he doesn't exercise or eat healthy--he DOES eat less because he physically cannot eat more, but the ability to eat more food will increase over time (as I understand it). I don't have high hopes for him keeping it off, but I do hope he changes his behavior before it all comes back.