Treatment

Through our research and outreach efforts, HOPE is committed to helping children to develop healthy habits during early childhood so that they can avoid the often devastating consequences of obesity. HOPE is also dedicated to helping adolescents who are already morbidly obese and at risk for life threatening health conditions.

For adolescents who are morbidly obese --- usually 100 pounds over ideal body weight and a Body Mass Index (BMI) > 40, weight-loss surgery is the only known effective and safe treatment. HOPE surgeons are leading experts in this area, having conducted more surgeries in adolescents than any other group in the US. Our faculty has contributed substantially to the world’s literature on safety and efficacy among adolescent surgical patients.

Surgical Treatment and Evaluation

With HOPE’s support, NYU surgeons are able to provide free or reduced cost surgical treatment to morbidly obese adolescents. The NYU Program for Surgical Weight Loss uses the Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAP-BAND®) procedure because it is much less invasive than the gastric bypass procedure. If the patient desires, the band can be removed after sufficient weight loss and behavior modification.

Christine Ren Fielding, M.D., George Fielding, M.D, and Marina S. Kurian, M.D, of the NYU Surgical Weight Loss Program.

The NYU Program for Surgical Weight Loss has been involved in numerous studies of safety and efficacy of the LAP-BAND® procedure for morbidly obese adolescents. Research has shown that this is a safe and effective method of weight loss in morbidly obese adolescents. Studies, including efforts supported by HOPE, evaluate long-term medical and quality of life outcomes from weight-loss surgery, adolescent and family predictors of successful weight loss and the maintenance of weight loss over time, and mechanisms underlying successful maintenance of weight loss.

Please see Publications and Presentations for published reports and conference presentations by the NYU Program for Surgical Weight Loss.

Please see the NYU Program for Surgical Weight Loss for more information on treatment options for adolescents and adults.