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Surgical Treatments for Morbid Obesity
Policy
Issue: Obesity is a serious and significant
health problem among veterans. MOVE! is a national weight management
program designed by the VA National Center for Health Promotion
and Disease Prevention (NCP), a part of the Office of Patient
Care Services, to help veterans lose weight, keep it off and
improve their health.
Where conservative treatments such as diet, exercise and behavior
modification are not effective in losing weight and keeping
it off, bariatric surgery aimed at reducing food intake is available
for appropriately selected patients to help achieve and sustain
weight loss as part of a comprehensive weight loss program.
VA offers bariatric surgery to eligible veterans at selected
VA facilities with expertise in these procedures. Various types
of bariatric surgical techniques can be used, among which laparoscopic
versions of gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding are
growing in popularity.
Assessment:
VATAP monitors the literature to support evidence-based national
guidance decisions for provision of bariatric services in VA.
VATAP has produced three reports on the topic.
Surgical
Treatments for Morbid Obesity, January, 2003
Surgical
Treatments for Morbid Obesity, November, 2004
Surgical
Treatments for Morbid Obesity, March, 2007
Current Status: VA has issued national evidence-based
guidance for bariatric surgery in collaboration with the VA
National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
to ensure the highest quality of care and access to bariatric
surgery for qualified veterans.
http://www.oqp.med.va.gov/cpg/OBE/OBE_base.htm
Related Information:
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