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A boy in Saudi Arabia has become the world's youngest weight loss surgery patient. According to news.com.au, the boy had a body mass index of 44.1 before the surgery, putting him well over the healthy range of 18.5 to 24.9. Doctors say he wasn't suffering from any "hereditary or genetic causes of obesity," but his weight was causing other physical problems such as sleep apnea.
Cleary something needed to be done, and his parents reportedly tried two attempts at dieting. One at 14 months, according to the New York Post, resulted in a 17-pound weight gain, but it's not known whether they stuck to the diet after that. When the boy hit 72 pounds, his family and doctors decided surgery was the answer.
It did work. He was followed for two years after the surgery, and doctors reported that his BMI went down to 24. So that's great, but the extreme method -- which comes with its own risks (both known and unknown) -- is just disturbing.
In a report in the International Journal of Surgery (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/507372/20130919/saud-arabia-morbidly-obese-toddler-world-s.htm)Case Reports, doctors wrote:
The results suggest that LSG (laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy) can be a safe and effective alternative for weight control in morbidly obese children even of less than 3 years of age. However more studies and long-term follow up is essential for monitoring the growth and development of children subjected to LSG.
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reallly hope it is safe and effective alternative?