As the popularity of gastric band surgery continues to grow, more evidence of health benefits other than weight loss is becoming apparent. One recent study showed that 72% of those who had a gastric band fitted no longer showed any symptoms of diabetes and these effects where recorded as being sustained for two years.
Obesity can cause many health issues, including heart conditions, diabetes, sleep apnea and erectile dysfunction. Weight loss of any kind, either simply through a change in diet and exercise regime or enabled by a gastric band, can provide relief from the symptoms of these weight related health conditions, although an increasing amount of evidence suggests that a gastric band can provide relief from symptoms BEFORE any weight loss has actually occurred.
Unlike cosmetic surgery such as liposuction and tummy tuck plastic surgery, gastric banding does not provide a purely aesthetic improvement, but enables a change in behaviour. A band is placed around the stomach, dividing it into two sections. The first section becomes quickly full, leading to a feeling of fullness and discouraging any further eating. After a while the food passes through into the second section of the stomach and is processed as usual.