| Overweight Oz kids turning to Gastric Band surgery |
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| Wednesday, 31 January 2007 | |
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"Our kids are inactive as a result of PlayStations, the internet, remote-controlled TVs and the fact parents drop their kids at school and won't let them play at the park because of the risks involved," he said. A spokesman for the Australian Medical Association, Dr. David Thomas, commented on the need for parents to intervene before children become morbidly obese and develop other health problems. "Weight of 140kg is very severe," Dr Thomas said. "Unfortunately, it's a common problem and becoming more common. We'd like to prevent the condition that is occurring and remove the need for surgery. Those who have the banding will feel uncomfortable if they eat too much, which is unnecessary if you learn to eat less in other ways." However, he warned that gastric banding was not a panacea and a miracle cure, noting that patients can still have the surgery and fail to change their lifestyle accordingly afterwards. "They can still eat badly, just not as much," he said. "It doesn't mean they'll exercise." Medical statistics indicate that one in every four Australian children is overweight and the gastric banding procedure has now grown in demand, such that it is the second most performed procedure, after gall bladder surgeries. |
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