Anyone know of any wls clinical trials for African Americans?

I am curious how our bodies respond differently to wls than those of European descent. Anyone know of any studies?  I would be willing to sign up if you would share the info.

Just do a google on the Internet, I would not think our bodies react ANY differently than European descent; we are African Americans, with  vast heritage not aliens..LOL....I would think you need to base your research on your family history of any type of diseases, YOUR OWN medical history and how well you think  you will adapt, if you are getting the DS, you probably need to research the long term side effects of malabsorption on the body and how well your own body can handle that.  Good luck..

I understand your point of view, and NO we certyainly are not aliens, but since minorities are more predisposed to obesity, I wonder if we have different reactions to the surgery and if our results are different long term.  I guess we can get into the argument of whether blacks and hispanics are more obese because of gentics or diet, but thats a whole other can of worms.

I am interested in knowing everyting like do we lose more/less, co we have less loose skin because of the melanin, do we regain because we have the obesity genes fighting against us...
We hear of rumors of these statisticss on the blogs, but has anybody ever really taken the time to study it and document it?

Also keep in mind all the co-morbid rates that are higher for black people like hypertension, sickel cell, diabetes, cancer, etc.  In some ways we are same but not the same. We are not aliens, but medically speaking in some ways it has been proven we are different.

I will take your advice and google the topic, but thought this would be a good source for info too.  I also plan on e-mailing some prominent African American wls surgeons and some black universities that do wls at their hospitals.

This is something I relaly would like to be  studied and documented.

btw I did already have the DS and am thrilled with my choice. I did 5 years of extensive research before having my surgery. I chose a larger common channel and a larger bougie to combat some of the malabsorbtion. Still I would rather have the supplements than dumping, lapband fills, and all the other side effects of the alternate surgeries. Plus I won't be going in or a revision in 10 years because I've gained all my weight back.

wls is a very personal choice. This was the right choice for ME.

LaShell, my post was not in ANY way getting smart with you, I tend to be straightforward and to the point sometimes, I did not say anything bad about the DS as you are indicating, you chose a surgery that you apparently are going to live with forever and based on your surgery date you have already made that decision so researching now is a bit late.

Edited to Add: Regarding weight gain in African American and how our bodies MAY react to obesity, I would think if any African American got complacent after a few years and start going to Kentucky Fried chicken every day just like someone with European decent and stop exercising and eating ice cream and candy daily I would think ANYBODY would gain weight back especially AFTER the honeymoon is over regardless of race OR any weight loss surgery they choose the DS is NOT a magic wand as you think, yes it does have an overall higher success rate DUE TO the extreme malabsorption. Yes it IS true ppl of European decent tend to have more eating disorders than African Americans and our DIET IS different also, but AGAIN all Europeans don't eat the same type of food either, I would think if anybody has access to healthy veggies and cook and eat right and exercise we would all lose weight, regardless of ethnicity, but again, this goes back to my original post, regarding your OWN family history of obesity, your gene makeup, and YOUR FAMILY history this plays a role in how quick you lose weight but again, AA are no different than European decent when it comes to weight loss surgery, does environment play a roles - yes, but again you CAN change environment, and the way you eat and exercise so I would think we are ALL the same regarding wls.


There are PLENTY DSers that post that got their surgeries around the SAME time that I got mine and I can guarantee you we are still around the same size after 4 years some may be smaller but again there are PLENTY OF lap banders smaller too, I choose to be a little THICK, I can't do a size 4 or 6 I am 5'8 and in my 40s I like to keep a little meat on me to look a bit younger....... you know how we sistas do!, from what I seen regarding ANY type of weight loss surgery BOTH lap band, DS, RNY, SLEEVE, if you do not CHANGE your eating habits AND exercise you WILL gain weight back, so you MAY want to change your signature line and go back and finish your research

Not sure why you are saying that I will be going in for a revision in 10 years for my lap band that is just like saying you are going to die from malabsorption in 10 years.....we cannot predict the future of what will happen to either of us after our surgeries but I can say this.... I am 4 years out and have NEVER been hospitalized due to my lap band (knock on wood) and I don't take additional supplements just to stay healthy, but I DO take vitamins wls or not...we can just pray and look at statistics...and Oh...I am only up 10 pounds from my lowest weight....and that is from getting my band slightly unfilled and eating whatever I want and cutting back exercise...NOT bad going from a size 26 to a size 10/12 and still holding down the fort at 4 years......

I wish you a uneventful journey!

Interesting post, I am anxious to see what you uncover... I think there is a difference in our bodies, and your question is something I have tried to find an answer to, but to no avail have I come up with anything... Let me know you find out...

I have heard people say we lose slower...in my case and the 90% Black Americans I know on BAF and real life....this is not true entirely

Results come from consistency....consistency to do right or consistency to do wrong....I, too, believe such things like genes, metabolism, thyroid disease and other illnesses plays a factor.

However, if you take a black woman, white woman, hispanic woman...doesn't matter and put them on the same diet...doing same exercise....their weight loss will be different....so I am sure this is true due to WLS....I guess it depends on those things I mentioned before and our body proportions.

A poster named nikki cleopatra (or cleopatra nikki?) mentioned something about differences in weight loss between Blacks and others.  She posts to the RNY board pretty much daily so she should be easy to find (to get her correct name).

I do not remember the nature of the comment or if it was a clinical trial or not.  She is sharp and she may be willing to share her research with you.  

I asked my doc ...who is white....b4 i had surgery and said in HIS studies....his African American patient had a better out come all the way around...

Finally some positive health news for us. I will keep you guys posted on what info I uncover.