"At least six million obese teenagers in the United States are candidates for weight-loss surgery..."

A Daunting Operation Offers Relief to Obese Teenagers

Gastric bypass surgery works as well in adolescents as it does in adults, researchers report. But the procedure requires a major commitment.

At least six million obese teenagers in the United States are candidates for weight-loss surgery, experts estimate. Fewer than 1,000 of them get it each year.

Many of these adolescents already have complications of obesity, like diabetes or high blood pressure. But doctors have been uncertain just how well surgery works for young patients, and whether they can handle the consequences, including a severely restricted diet.