Teenagers and bariatrics
In today’s lifestyle, obesity is on the rise, be it for little time for exercise, poor nutrition choices (fast and processed food, high fat intake), among others. Many persons are being affected by this. One demographic that suffers greatly from this condition are teenagers. Approximately 12.5 million children and adolescents ages 2-19 suffer from obesity.
As with any surgery, risks are inherent, although most of them are minor and avoidable, which include:
- Infection of the wounds
- Vitamin deficiencies
- General weakness
The main condition teenagers present that can cause readmission to the hospital is dehydration (around 15%), due to the fact that at first patients have a hard time measuring how much liquid they can intake, or at times it’s because inflammation can occur. It’s also related to nausea and vomiting, that can cause intolerance to oral liquids.
More importantly, it’s important for the patient to understand what the procedure entails. Bariatric surgery in teens can be a very safe procedure, but it’s very important for patients to learn to make healthy choices. Understand that bariatric surgery is a tool that will help them achieve weight loss goals to better quality life and reduce comorbidities.