People who have had weight-loss surgeries say they tried an average of 24 diets and exercise programs over the years before deciding to have the procedure, according to a survey released today at a meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
The survey of 409 bariatric surgery patients, including those who had gastric bypass or adjustable gastric banding, found most people averaged 100 or more pounds overweight before surgery and had about five obesity-related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.
Gastric bypass, which creates a much smaller stomach and bypasses part of the small intestine, is most frequently done laparoscopically, a minimally invasive technique. It costs $25,000 to $30,000 for those who don't have complications. Gastric banding, in which a band is used to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach, costs $17,000 on average.
An estimated 205,000 people had bariatric surgery in 2007. Insurance companies vary in their coverage. Under certain conditions, Medicare covers the procedures.
After surgery, patients are advised to exercise, change their eating habits, receive nutritional counseling and psychological support and see their doctor regularly. The survey found that patients who followed the guidelines most closely lost more than 123 pounds the first year, and those who didn't lost about 92 pounds. After five years, the best patients had dropped more than 127 pounds, compared with 100 pounds for the less compliant.
How compliant patients are is "the difference between a good result and a great result," says Philip Schauer, former president of the bariatric surgery group and director of the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute.
The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive and sponsored by Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a company that makes medical devices used for the surgeries.
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