Obese children as young as 11 to get a gastric implant on the NHS!!!
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Posted October 24, 2011 On Lorraine this morning they were discussing an article by Beezy Marsh in the Daily Mail where they talk about the fact that obese children as young as 11 are endangering their health. In fact there are up to 900,000 youngsters suffering. To help them overcome this are to be given gastric balloons on the NHS in a drastic attempt to make them lose weight.
The device, which has the same effect as a gastric band by reducing the amount of food that can be held in the stomach, is to be used as a ‘last resort’ in a ground-breaking trial.
Up to 15 severely obese children and teenagers with weight-related diabetes or complications such as constructive sleep apnoea – where their neck fat stops them breathing as they sleep – will be offered the gastric balloon.
If the trial is successful, experts say the method could become a more acceptable and cheaper way for the NHS to cope with the growing epidemic of obesity in children than gastric bands, as it does not involve surgery and the balloon has to be removed after six months.
To discourage youngsters from putting weight back on they will be monitored for two years afterwards to check their diet and exercise, while cognitive behavioural therapy and lifestyle programmes will aim to change their attitude to junk food and sport.
The gastric device is put into the stomach via the mouth under general anaesthetic.
The procedure, which is designed for obese adults, costs around £2,000 compared with £7,000 for a gastric band.
Studies in adults show that over a six-month period, patients with a gastric balloon can expect to lose around three stone.
Some obesity specialists said they were shocked by the trial planned for Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
