Please read Weight Loss Surgery for Children Saves Lives for part one of this story.

Jayne was continuously bullied and made fun of at school and felt ostracized by the wider society.

She was too self-conscious to leave the house alone and used to hide under huge, loose fitting clothes.

Jayne tried to diet for years. Eventually she had some tests and found out she would be a good candidate for gastric band surgery.

salad with eggs and tomatoes

Yet Mr. Desai explains that this is only the beginning of a long process which requires the patient to understand the impact of weight loss surgery.

“The operation will only happen if the patient is mature enough to know what they are doing.”

Young patients such as Jayne are assessed by a dietician and a pediatrician for at least six months before surgery is even talked about. During this important period their diets are prescribed and monitored very carefully.

How gastric band surgery works on the stomach

If a patient is not showing any signs of improvement a psychologist is often sought out to assess them. The parents take an active part in the process from the very beginning.

Tests are carried out simultaneously to the assessments to see if the patient’s obesity is of a high enough risk to their health to make them a candidate for weight loss surgery.

“The long-term consequences of obesity can be severe,” says Mr. Desai.

“People have a feeling that obesity is all preventable and is that person’s fault. But there can be two people from the same family eating the same food and their bodies will react differently.”