If you are thinking of Gastric band surgery then you may be pleased by some of the results that this procedure has been able to offer people who have been in desperate need to lose a large amount of weight safely. A British study conducted in March 2009 claimed that, in a controlled test, Gastric band surgery shown to be far more effective over a sustained period of time than the 500 calorie diet. However, before you go charging off to find your nearest Gastric band surgeon it may be worth your while taking a few minutes to examine the study closely.



The case study involved 80 dieters, 50% of whom were given Gastric band surgery and the remaining half were put on a carefully prescribed, highly nutritional very low carbohydrate diet of just 500 calories a day.



After a total of six months both sets of dieters were showing very similar results and had lost about 15% of their initial starting weight. However, at the end of 18 month the results for the two groups of dieters looked very different.



The patients who had under gone the gastric band surgery shed about 21% of their starting weight and displayed marked improvement in their quality of life and general overall health. On the other hand, the people who where put on the 500 calorie diet regime had unfortunately re-gained much of their previously lost body fat within a few months of ending their diet, the average 500 calorie dieter - were only seven percent below their starting weight and within 18 months seventy two percent were back to their pre-diet weight with a staggering ten percent of the patience weighing heaver then when they first started the study.



This result would clearly seem to confirm what many people have experienced with diet plans, that dieting, is more than just about losing weight, but also about keeping the weight off over a sustained period of time without causing too much discomfort or disruption to ones life style.


Gastric band surgery is one of many options available for patients as a solution to morbid obesity and is generally only easily accessible once a patient's Body Mass Index reaches or has surpassed 40, and is not a suitable option for someone who just wants to lose a few quick pounds or is trying to get rid of muffin tops before their summer vacation.


In the case of this British study the patients chosen for the experiment had a body mass index of only 35. So, do the results of this study reflect real potential Gastric band patience? When this was clearly not the target group to which Gastric band surgery would normally be administers to?



The answer is clearly No!


The fact is: Gastric band surgery can be very effective for people who have a special or urgent medical requirement to lose weight fast or those suffering from morbid obesity, and is proving to be an increasingly popular choice with many overweight people. However as with all forms of obesity remedies it is extremely important that we take the time to collate sound and accurate statistics of various obesity treatments so that potential patients can obtain accurate and informative advice on what options are open to them regarding surgical procedures for weight loss.