Overweight teens turn to surgery

BACKGROUND: During adolescence, teenagers face serious body changes. The new release of hormones promotes height and muscle gain in boys and a height and body fat increase in girls. It is normal for teens to feel self-conscious during this time, but seriously obese teens can take these feelings to a new level. Obese teens face social isolation in school, teasing and emotional abuse. Obesity also poses health threats including high blood pressure and diabetes. "Kids who are overweight have a quality of life similar to kids with chronic diseases like cancer," Kerri Boutelle, Ph.D., L.P., an adolescence and obesity expert at the University of Minnesota, was quoted as saying. Overweight kids often grow into overweight adults, continuing the struggle throughout their lifetime. Boutelle?s Service for At-Risk Teens (STAR) clinic found that obese adolescents tend to experience or are at high risk for depression, poor self-image, social isolation, and being perceived as lazy or less attractive when compared to healthy kids.  Click here for full article.