Operation obesity: surgery for overweight teens a weighty matter

At 323 pounds, Oklahoma teen Raechel Arnold tried everything to lose weight: Slim-Fast shakes, low-carb diets, and prescription weight-loss drugs. No matter how hard Raechel tried to lose weight, nothing worked. Eventually, she gave up trying. To cope, she ate more. Her peers' taunts were ruthless. "It's horrible to be heavy" she told USA Today.

In desperation, Raechel turned to the one weight-loss method she hadn't tried--gastric bypass surgery. Last July, at age 16, Raechel went under the knife. Doctors shortened her intestines and reduced her stomach to the size of an egg. Raechel has lost more than 165 pounds, and life is good. "I'm loving it," she told reporters.

But not everyone thinks surgery is the best way for obese teens to cut the fat. And with an increasing number of teens opting for surgery, there's a battle of the bulge between detractors and supporters.

Bypass That Surgery!

Critics caution that stomach surgery can be dangerous. About one in 200 adult patients die during surgery; 10 to 20 percent suffer serious complications. Teens' bodies are still growing, and more studies need to be done, say critics. "We don't have any long-term studies on teenagers--none," said Joanne Ikeda, a pediatric obesity expert at the University of California at Berkeley.

Other critics contend that teens are too young to undergo such a life-altering operation. "Teens are not qualified to make decisions that will affect their health for the rest of their lives" says Paul Ernsberger, a nutrition professor at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. After surgery, patients must adhere to a rigid diet and take vitamins daily to avoid malnutrition.

Massachusetts teen Michelle Parsons struggled after her stomach surgery. "You don't realize that not being able to eat will affect your entire life.... Food was such a huge part of my life.... It's like losing your best friend," she told NBC's Al Roker.

Lighten Up!

Thomas Harris Inge couldn't disagree more. The surgeon has performed the weight-loss procedure on more than 42 teens at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. "We're not talking about cosmetic surgery here." he told the Los Angeles Times. "Severely obese adolescents are developing adult diseases," he said. Indeed, obesity is associated with serious health risks, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

For South Carolina teen Eric Decker. the surgery's health benefits outweighed its risks. "I knew surgery was going to be a risk. But I was going to die from being obese," he said. Prior to surgery, Eric weighed 385 pounds. He suffered knee and back pains, and his doctor said he was at high risk for diabetes and heart problems. Even sleep was difficult. "I used to sleep on my stomach because I was so afraid the fat would choke me during the night. I thought that if I died in surgery, at least I died trying to get better." Eric now weighs 190 pounds and has no regrets. "I never want to go back to the way I was," he said.

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