An estimated three to four million adolescents are heavy enough to meet the criteria for bariatric surgery, Dr. Kelly said. Yet insurers routinely turn down teenagers on the first request, doctors say, leaving surgeons to appeal, sometimes multiple times, before they can operate on an adolescent. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyWhen it comes to adult bariatric surgery, doctors say, insurers usually do not put up a fight. “Acceptance in the pediatric community is even worse.”Advertisement Continue reading the main storyThe two recently published studies on outcomes were encouraging, obesity experts say. In almost every aspect, life for very obese teenagers is “significantly impaired,” Dr. Zeller said.

Source: New York Times February 24, 2017 17:26 UTC