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Congratulations on your decision to work with our colleagues in Columbus! You are correct about the band and the current FDA restrictions.
Your daughter is certainly eligible for the Teen-LABS study (just featured on the Today show recently!) and we would welcome her to participate.
Warmest regards,
Tom Inge, MD
Thomas Inge, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics
Director, Adolescent Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (www.childrenscolorado.org/bariatric)
Principal Investigator, Teen-LABS (www.Teen-LABS.org)
Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado, Denver
Executive Assistant:
Karen Warnock
Phone: (720) 777-3179
You are smart to start looking for good nutrition information sooner than later for your daughter, whether she has a weight problem yet or not.
Here are some websites that you might find helpful:
Dole 5-A-Day: www.dole5aday.com
Family Food Zone: www.familyfoodzone.com
(Advice on kids cooking, food guide pyramid, shopping, and nutrition references)
Green Giant Company: www.greengiant.com
Kid's Health: www.kidshealth.org (web site for kids, teens, and parents)
Kid's Food Cyber Club: www.kidfood.org/kf_cyber.html
Kidnetic: www.kidnetic.com
(Interactive web site about exercise)
Leafy Greens Council: www.leafy-greens.org/default/htm
Nutrition Café: www.exhibits.pacsci.org/nutrition
Nutrition Exploration Kids Zone: www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids_zone.html
Sunkist: www.sunkist.com
(Facts about citrus fruits, games, puzzles, recipes)
Team Nutrition: www.fns.usda.gov/tn
(USDA site for children and families)
Kid's Sites - Activities for children: www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/etext/000100.html
(U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Information Center - link to other sites for kids)
Thomas Inge, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics
Director, Adolescent Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (www.childrenscolorado.org/bariatric)
Principal Investigator, Teen-LABS (www.Teen-LABS.org)
Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado, Denver
Executive Assistant:
Karen Warnock
Phone: (720) 777-3179
There has been alot written about weight loss and keeping it off. Your problem is not unique, and some people (even teens) have been successful. Some of the habist of successful people are
1. monitor your intake and "track"it somehow. Make it fun. Try a website like sparkpeople or fitday!
2. Eat breakfast everyday.
3. Get 30-60 minutes of physical activity per day. Not "exercises" per se, just move! Get a pedometer to wear and have a goal of 10,000 steps per day!
4. Watch not only how much you eat, but what you eat. Don't eat white bread or vegetables. Eat whole grain products, and colorful vegetables. More color usually means better quality carbohydrate is in there!
5. Look at the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) contents of what you are eating. AVOID HFCS!
6. Get about 60-90 gram of high quality protein per day. It can help keep hunger pangs down.
7. Get involved in group activities so that you get support from other trying to do something about their weight!
All the best to you. You will do fine, because you are asking all the right questions.
Sincerely,
Tom Inge MD
Thomas Inge, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics
Director, Adolescent Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (www.childrenscolorado.org/bariatric)
Principal Investigator, Teen-LABS (www.Teen-LABS.org)
Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado, Denver
Executive Assistant:
Karen Warnock
Phone: (720) 777-3179
You are right, there are no growth charts that go into the morbidly obese range, for a variety of scientific reasons. So what to do to "chart" out your weight and see where you are in relation to others?
I suggest the following: go to the CDC website and pull up a standard BMI for age chart. (go to cdc.gov, and enter growth chart under the search menu).
There will be a chart for boys and a chart for girls.
Then, go to your age, and see what the BMI is for the 50th percentile. If that the average BMI is let's say 20 for a 16 year old, and your BMI is 70, then you can divide 70 by 20 and see that your BMI is 350% of the average BMI for your age. In other words, 250% (or 2.5-fold) over the average.
Now, the important thing is what sorts of things you are doing to get control of your weight.
Warmest regards,
tom inge
Thomas Inge, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics
Director, Adolescent Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (www.childrenscolorado.org/bariatric)
Principal Investigator, Teen-LABS (www.Teen-LABS.org)
Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado, Denver
Executive Assistant:
Karen Warnock
Phone: (720) 777-3179
hi guy i understand yur pain my daughter is in the same boat. how odd they would cover the more extreame surgery for someone as young as yourself have your insuance send you thier requirements/ guidelines. but yu are younger than your mom and may fair better than her everyone is different. what kind of pain are you talking post surgical or long lasting. i hate to think of you giving up honest there is life after being a teenager. you are worth the fight. best of luck
hi Jane congrats on getting approved. Im Dawn not only am I obese but so is my 10 year old beautiful daughter. Ive been looking for info on lap bands etc for kids what ages etc. Im not done trying other options though. going to an obesity clinic for children at the end of july. i want so much for her to be successful. i think her self esteem is a big issue i have a 17 year old who doesnt have a weight problem varsity cheeleader etc and the youngest has really started to realize weight can keep you down. so when you get around to this just let me know what you know. take care. dawn
Hello-
I'm 32 years old, and am making a suggestion. Anyone looking into this surgery, please make sure you consult your physician on the topics of addiction transfers, and mental stability and mental being after surgery.
Trust me, you will transfer your food addictions, and, just because you lose the weight, doesn't mean your mind follows as quickly as you are losing.
Obviously everyone is different, but these are two topics I was not mentored on before surgery from my surgeon's office. There was also no suggestion made to take care of these issues if they were to pop up later down the line.
Good luck-
Lizlo
October, 1st, 2004-LapRNY
298/157/140'ish
