Gastric Surgery May Ease Breathing Problems

The study and results: people who are clinically defined as obese often suffer shortness of breath and chest pains that keep them from the physical activity that could help them lose weight. As part of an ongoing study, Swedish researchers investigated whether gastric surgery to reduce stomach size and
induce weight loss could relieve obese people from these symptoms. They compared 1,210 people who had gastric surgery to 1,099 who had received dietary recommendations from health providers. The people who had surgery lost an average of 62 pounds, while the other group stayed at essentially the same weight. In addition, on average, the surgery patients� problems with high blood pressure, diabetes, breathing and chest pain all decreased. They also had increased levels of physical activity in the 2 years following the surgery.