The FDA recently approved the LAP-BAND System, a surgical weight loss technique, for use in patients with a BMI of 30-35 and one or more obesity-related comorbid condition. According to data collected by the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the approval could double the number of patients eligible for weight loss surgery.
Dr. Boyce said the approval is “exciting news” because billions of dollars are spent each year in the U.S. on dieting, amounting to a greater cost per pound lost compared to the expense of weight loss procedures.
Dr. Boyce stressed that patients considering bariatric surgery must be committed to certain significant and permanent lifestyle changes. However, he adds that the FDA approval allows millions of Americans to receive safe and effective weight loss support with proven results.
Read the San Francisco Chronicle report on weight loss surgery.
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