Social media may be a weapon against childhood obesity

In a new scientific statement published in the journal Circulation, the group calls for more research into how to incorporate social media into programs fighting childhood obesity. However, the AHA acknowledges that current research on social media intervention has been mixed and that social media is also linked with a few drawbacks. Read more

NJ BCBS Announces Bariatric Surgery Coverage in Patients with Diabetes and Body Mass Index Less than 35

Background

Bariatric surgery is an established treatment for morbid obesity in patients with a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 40 kg/m2, or BMI equal to or greater than 35 in the presence of weight-related comorbidities.   Some experts have recommended broadening of the eligibility criteria for bariatric surgery, in order to reach more patients who might benefit.  The population of patients with nonmorbid obesity (i.e., BMI 30-35 kg/m2) represents a very large number of patients with a high overall burden of weight-related comorbidities. Read more

Bariatric Surgery Tops List of 10 Best Medical Innovations of 2013

On Wednesday, The Cleveland Clinic released its annual Top 10 list of best medical innovations for 2012. Sitting alone atop of the list is an old procedure, weight loss surgery.

Weight loss surgery restricts the amount of food you can take in. Some procedures also limit the amount of food you can digest. Many patients who have weight loss surgery lose weight rapidly. If you follow diet and exercise recommendations, you can keep most of the weight off.

The clinic’s staff cited the procedure’s remarkable effectiveness in controlling Type 2 diabetes.

Over the years, bariatric surgeons observed that weight loss surgery would often rid obese patients of Type 2 diabetes, before they even left the hospital.

“Now insurance companies in New Jersey are beginning to cover the bariatric surgery specifically for diabetes management, given the surgery’s greater potential to benefit more people”, said Dr. Alexander Abkin, Director of Bariatric Surgery at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ.

To learn more about weight loss surgery in NJ, call 973-410-9700 or visit http://www.bariatricsurgeonnj.com

Considering Weight Loss Surgery in NJ? 5 Things You Will Need To Get Started

The path to weight loss surgery success can be overwhelming at times. With the proper planning, you can help yourself by preparing for the approval process in advance. Here’s five things you will likely need before your bariatric surgery. Read more

Weight Loss Surgery May Lead to a Healthier Heart, Says NJ Surgeon

A comprehensive review of about 20,000 patients who have had bariatric surgery has shown that weight loss surgery also improved the structure and function of the heart while reducing several risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

“Obesity is very bad for the heart,” Dr. Alexander Abkin, director of the Bariatric Services at JFK Medical Center said in a statement. “It’s not just a cosmetic concern. Bariatric surgery has very serious effects on heart disease as well as other metabolic diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes.” Read more

Bariatric Surgery Prevents Type 2 Diabetes, Says NJ Bariatric Surgeon

Bariatric surgery reduced the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 78% compared with usual care at 15 years in a prospective, case-matched study of more than 3,000 obese adults.

This significant risk reduction was seen with all types of bariatric surgery and regardless of baseline body mass index. And, it occurred despite the fact that the matching process unexpectedly resulted in the bariatric surgery group having a higher mean body weight and more severe risk factors at baseline than the controls. Read more

Diet Tips After Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery essentially makes the capacity of your stomach smaller, whether surgically or with a gastric band. It reduces the volume to approximately the same size of a small egg. A smaller stomach restricts the amount of food you can consume, resulting in less caloric intake – which ultimately results in weight loss. The diet after weight loss surgery helps to gradually help your body to tolerate and appreciate healthy foods at a healthy pace. Your new weight loss surgery diet helps to encourage nutritious eating and portion control with foods high in protein and low in fat. As you begin to heal and your stomach begins to slightly stretch, these newly found ways of eating a healthy diet after weight loss surgery can help promote and maintain your weight loss over time. Read more

New Study Identifies Patients Most Likely to Achieve Remission of Type 2 Diabetes After Bariatric Surgery

SAN DIEGO, CA – JUNE 20, 2012 – Some bariatric surgery patients are more likely to achieve complete remission of their Type 2 diabetes than others, according to a new study* presented here at the 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

The study found 67 percent of gastric bypass patients achieved diabetes remission one year after surgery, but that number grew to more than 96 percent if patients were not already on insulin and did not have reduced pancreatic function as measured by the glucose disposition index (GDI). If GDI was 30 percent of normal, patients were less likely to achieve remission. GDI shows both how well the pancreas produces insulin and how effectively the body uses that insulin to regulate the metabolization of carbohydrates and fats. Read more

Studies more firmly tie sugary drinks to obesity

New research powerfully strengthens the case against soda and other sugary drinks as culprits in the obesity epidemic.

A huge, decades-long study involving more than 33,000 Americans has yielded the first clear proof that drinking sugary beverages interacts with genes that affect weight, amplifying a person’s risk of obesity beyond what it would be from heredity alone. Read more

Can it! Soda studies cite stronger link to obesity

NEW YORK (Reuters) – As Americans debate what is most to blame for the nation’s obesity epidemic, researchers say they have the strongest evidence yet that sugary drinks play a leading role and that eliminating them would, more than any other single step, make a huge difference. Read more