Felt a need to add 2 pennies because I have as of late been reading health news -ever since I went Atkins actually I suddenly really care more about my health than anything else go figure
More than anything this plan has revitalized how much I care about myself, something I probably needed to do in regards to my life. That is a beautiful thing, but I am lucky. I was not yet 'obese' but looking at the definition I have worries that I was close to getting there as I put on the weight quickly over a cold winter.
Having your stomach operated on is a very last ditch effort to save the life of someone who is classified as morbidly obese- that is 100 pounds over ideal weight.
That is what a Dr faces when they have a patient who is more likely to die of being overweight than die of the surgical proceedure. We are blessed with Drs that must act in our best interests, and to live in a country that has such medicine available to the not so rich.
If you question why a Dr would go to such lenghths to treat a patient with this surgery which so diminishes the quality of life of that individual in regards to eating, look at this article from yesterdays New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/06/h...ion/06BROD.html
Title Major Study Erases Doubt on Link Between Excess Weight and Cancer

There is an excellent graph that shows exactly what weight level produces what likelihood of getting cancers of each type.
People who smoked were LESS likely to get these cancers than overweight people !!
This is what a Dr is faced with. More importantly what a patient is faced with when they are morbidly obese. Eating out of a custard cup beats being fed through a tube or IV.

I have no fears that this will become a trendy surgery. A Dr. would be faced with malpractice if they performed it without it being absolutely necessary.

When it comes to being morbidly obese if a 'diet' doesnt reduce that level within a short amount of time to just obese, then drastic measures are necessary.

Thats my two cents !