Alternative to Gastric Bypass Surgery Sought - Researchers Looking for the Gold Standard Plan in Diet and Fitness Programs

March 9th 2006

Gastric Bypass

Researchers are looking for a safe alternative to gastric bypass surgery, in a attempt to find a “gold standard” treatment. Nearly 170,000 patients underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2005 and spent an estimated 4.5 billion dollars on the procedure. This is up 1000 percent from a decade early.

There have been concerns associated with the procedure, and most doctors look at operating as the last resort. According to the Anne Collins website “About 10-20 percent of patients undergoing stomach bypass require follow-up operations to correct complications, the most common complaints being abdominal hernias.”

Most people that consider gastric bypass surgery have failed other weight loss plans and do turn to the procedure as a last resort. According to an NBC News Story, BlueCross and BlueShield of Western New York sought the $5 million study by the University at Buffalo, after being unable to find a model treatment for the severely obese, defined as having a body mass index of greater than 40.

The insurance companies have begun recruiting participants from their members. The study will consist of 4 groups of participants, with two groups being allowed to consume a maximum of 800 calories per day. Most of the calories will come from a packaged, nutritionally dense powder to be mixed into shakes, soups and other foods.

Other groups will consume 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day. Half of the participants will take an FDA-approved appetite suppressant or fat-blocker while the other half will receive no medication. All of the participants will receive behavior modification training, including an eventual walk of up to 3 miles daily.

Many severely obese people suffer other complications including diabetes and heart disease. Some researchers have called obesity “the terror within”, and with the risks of gastric bypass surgery insurance companies are always looking for alternatives.