Friday on 48 Hours: A Family Collectively Lost 560 Pounds Low-Carbing
 

This show will be covering a number of weight loss topics besides the low-carb family, especially the dangers of gastric bypass.

Friday: Extremely Perfect

March 4, 2004

Gastric Bypass Dangers

(CBS) Gastric bypass surgery is no longer just for the rich and famous, and doctors all over the country are learning how to perform the complicated surgery -- sometimes in one weekend -- because it so lucrative.

However, there is no official certification or mandatory training for weight-loss surgery, as there is for cardiology or even cosmetic surgery.

48 Hours Investigates found the consequences from botched weight-loss surgeries by doctors with little training or experience in performing the procedure are devastating and even deadly: Five people have died in New England, six in Iowa and seven in Georgia, all within a year-and-a-half.

"Extremely Perfect" will be broadcast Friday, March 5 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
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Correspondent Harold Dow reports on botched gastric bypass surgeries and the doctor, Ramesh Srungaram, who performed them.

At least 22 of Srungaram's patients, or their families, have filed lawsuits against him. Dow speaks to Steve Burr of Houston, Texas, and Kaye Parsley of Lubbock, Texas, who say they survived botched surgeries by Srungaram; and to the family of Donna Collins of Houston, who died after Srungaram performed weight-loss surgery on her.

Srungaram, who has been suspended and fired by hospitals, was fined $25,000 last fall, placed on probation for seven-and-a-half years and is required to have another doctor observe him for his next 100 weight-loss surgeries.

Dr. Julie Ellner, one of the country's leading weight-loss surgeons, tells Dow, "Unfortunately, there are a lot of training courses where surgeons can learn how to do this in a weekend. These are some of the highest risk patients you could possibly operate on. And if you aren't appropriately trained, you could kill people."

Also, actor Wayne Knight, better known as "Newman" from the hit television comedy, "Seinfeld," is sporting a brand new look. He lost 100 pounds without surgery or diet drugs. So how did he do it? Correspondent Susan Spencer gets the skinny on Knight's remarkable weight-loss.

Plus, from "Atkins" to "The Zone" to "The South Beach Diet," Americans are crazy about low carbohydrate diets. As a result, low-carb foods have become a $15 billion a year business. Correspondent Susan Spencer reports on one family, the Stellas from Norwalk, Conn., that was once overweight. They went low-carb and collectively lost 560 pounds.

However, Dr. David Katz from Yale University is convinced that it wasn't just from cutting carbohydrates: "Mark my words. Within a couple of years people who go on low-carb diets, event he Atkins induction phase, probably wont' lost any weight...because you're not cutting calories."

And, Correspondent Richard Schlesinger talks to the famous Subway restaurant guy, Jared Fogle, who lost 245 pounds on his own special diet of Subway sandwiches.

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004...ain603413.shtml

Hmm. This looks interesting. George Stella... I think he was featured on Food TV and will be getting his own low-carb cooking show now.

WEll i just watched the special. It was very good, especially since it showed a family of three that collectively lost so much weight on atkins .

Of course, as all media does, when referencing atkins, they mentioned only that the diet promotes eating steak, eggs, bacon, all dipped in butter and fried in oil - WHY cant they get it right?!
In either case, it was definitely a positive piece for low carb!

Oh, and guess what? The father of this family who is a chef, just got his own low carb cooking show on food tv!!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ll

I saw the show....all except the last 15 min or so when my daughter called.

I could see the TV....what was the guy doing with the food at the end? He had a pizza, a big plate of food, a small bowl of something white? Anyone?

Yea the last 15 minutes documented Jared Fogel of subways, and he was showing the kinds of foods jared ate before he went on the subway diet

I am watching it right now.. what I don't like is the commentart by the "host".

"..debate over the long term health risks is sizzling especially after the death of low carb legend Dr. Robert Atkins"

What cracked me up is here's this amazing family that lost incredible amounts of weight, then they interview the "anti-Atkins" doctor explaining why Atkins can't work...