FOR THE WEEK OF OCT. 11, 2010
More obese teens are turning to a radical stomach surgery
Show an example of how images in the news media and pop culture may affect some teens' views about weight and their bodies.
Do you see mixed messages about healthy nutrition and food or snacks? Look at ads and photos as well as articles.
Try to find coverage of another health or fitness topic that affects students.
A type of weight-loss operation not approved for patients under 18 is becoming more common among obese teens, a fresh study shows. The controversial procedure -- called gastric banding, bariatric surgery or lap banding -- places a silicone loop around the top of the stomach. The rate of gastric banding rose five-fold from 2005 to 2007 among California teens, says the September report in a medical journal called Pediatrics. Most young patients are girls.
Many health experts are alarmed by a rise in gastric banding among all ages. Placing a rigid ring around a moving organ could erode the area over time, critics say. But it's seen as a last-chance choice by some severely heavy people after years of failed diets. Slimmed-down celebrities who've had the operation include Star Jones, Al Roker and Sharon Osbourne. Performing the procedure on adolescents is not forbidden, although the federal Food and Drug Administration hasn't approved it for minors. That means insurance plans typically don't reimburse its cost for teens.
A more traditional operation, gastric bypass, divides the stomach into an upper and lower pouch. That remains the "gold standard" of weight-loss surgery, according to Los Angeles researchers at the University of California who studied records of 590 teens after all types of weight-loss surgery. They urge more studies on the proedures' effectiveness and safety for adolescents, and echo others who worry about possible long-term harm from lap banding.
Surgeon says: "Why do we feel it is necessary to operate on a bunch of 15-year-olds? The theory is . . . that early intervention will result in a substantial difference in the outcomes regarding obesity-related diseases." -- Dr. Marc P. Michalsky, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio
Critic says: "There's a fundamental problem with putting a rigid plastic object around a moving organ. You're asking it to stay in place and not erode over a long period." -- Dr. Mary Brandt, director of pediatric surgery, Texas Children's Hospital in Houston
Blogger says: "If you're younger than 18, your support system is probably stronger than it will ever be. So, between family, friends, school, and your doctor there has to be a better, safer why to lose weight." -- Gerry Pugliese at diet-blog.com
Front Page Talking Points Archive
Common Core State Standard
SL.CCS.1/2/3/4 Grades 6-12: An essay of a current news event is provided for discussion to encourage participation, but also inspire the use of evidence to support logical claims using the main ideas of the article. Students must analyze background information provided about a current event within the news, draw out the main ideas and key details, and review different opinions on the issue. Then, students should present their own claims using facts and analysis for support.