I'm really not trying to sound insensitive or anything (truly), but on last night's show when that young man's mother told the doctor right before surgey that "I'm trusting you with my baby" I got a little irritated. I mean, this child has been getting his eating habits and food choices directly from his parents his entire life, so for her to say that was a little ironic. She's worried about him going into surgery, yet she and his father are partially responsible (IMO) for him having to get the surgery in the first place.

Before you flame me, I know she was just being a concerned mother. I'm a mother too. But, it just seemed ironic to me that she would say that. From the response of the doctor, I think he felt the same.

I'm also overweight and am losing through calorie counting and exercise. Didn't anyone try to send this kid and his family to a nutritionist first? Because after the surgery, he's going to have to learn to make healthier food choices anyway and to exercise more. It just seems that this type of surgery is so drastic for a 17 year-old.

I know what you're saying, but it didn't bother me as much. I try to imagine my own child going into surgery, and I would be afraid he'd die. It's always a concern.

The surgery is drastic, but try to force a 17-year-old to do anything. You can feed him 3 low-fat meals a day, but if he wants to sneak food, he'll find a way. At least he was young and healthy and will probably bounce back from surgery much quicker than some of the older, sicker people.

Of course he's been to a nutritionist! That kid has been working with these doctors since he was 14 years old. They've tried everything already.

It's not just food choices, it's genetic. Have you read any of the discussions here on that? A child cannot be expected to have the willpower to trump genetics like that. I feel like after the surgery he will have a much better chance of fighting the good fight against obesity.

I dont think theres anything to worry about. 17 might be a bit young but hes been threw all the interviews and evauations ,im sure if the Drs didnt think he could handle it ,they wouldnt do it !
One more thing..the lap band is the least dangerous of all the WLS and its completely reversable.

Didn't the doctor say if he didn't have anything done he would continue to put weight on and be extremely overweight like a lot of the other patients?

quote:

Originally posted by shenacat:
Of course he's been to a nutritionist! That kid has been working with these doctors since he was 14 years old. They've tried everything already.

It's not just food choices, it's genetic. Have you read any of the discussions here on that? A child cannot be expected to have the willpower to trump genetics like that. I feel like after the surgery he will have a much better chance of fighting the good fight against obesity.

I hesitate sending this for fear of sounding crass, but here goes.

There's no doubt this 17yo kid was brought up with bad eating habits and poor food choices. If memory serves, he had a can of soda in his hand most of the time.

Let's be honest shenacat, do you truly believe that he was 100% compliant with the nutritionists recommendations?

Your statement "It's not just food choices, it's genetic" needs some comment. If this were indeed true, the Lap-Band would not work. Do you see why?

Simply put, the procedure is going to force him into making decisions regarding food that he was previously unwilling to make.

At the end of the day it boils down to this...
Calories In versus Calories Out. What he is about to undertake is a procedure that will inhibit his ability to consume copious amounts of food.

I think we tend to 'throw up our hands' in frustration and claim 'it's genetic' on a far too frequent basis. I'm not claiming that there are those patients who are genetically predisposed towards obesity.

However, I think it's unfair to say that a healthy diet and regular exercise somehow 'failed' this young man.

My oldest child is 26, my youngest is 6 years old. Frankly, I refer to them and those in between as my babies. They are just my babies, a figure of speech. Not one of them has a weight issue.

However, I am a strong believer that children learn what they see and are taught. I feel this is something the boy wants himself badly. His parent's being overweight themselves would be pretty hypicritical to have their son have the wls and not them. That just tells me, again that the boy really has put thought into this.

Perhaps it is genetics, perhaps it has been poor diet and exercise that has contributed to his condition. Be it habits learned or genetics passed down he has taken action and is changing his life. To me that is what is most important... This is my opinion only of course.