Bariatric Surgery - position statement 13th April 2011

Beat Position Statement on bariatric surgery

In response to the report on bariatric surgery suggesting that 1million people in Britain could benefit from weight loss operations Beat – the UK's leading eating disorder charity believes that more emphasis should be given to the psychological and emotional support surrounding obesity.
Bariatric surgery is an invasive procedure and should be a last resort. Weightloss and exercise programmes with psychological support are the obvious preferred route. There are many implications to major surgery, not least the change of lifestyle and eating habits which need to be adopted afterwards in order to maintain weightloss.
It's important to acknowledge that people who are termed obese often have emotional difficulties around food and it's only by addressing the root causes of these difficulties that any significant long term resolution can be achieved.

ends

Further info:
Mary George
Press Officer
0300 123 7061
e-m: media@b-eat.co.uk