Obese children as young as 14 are undergoing weight-loss surgery on the NHS, figures revealed in Parliament show. Since 2007, 45 teenagers have had gastric bands, bypasses or stomach staples in order to reduce the amount they can eat and help them lose weight. The youngest was 12. It is the latest evidence of an obesity epidemic among young people.
There were 22 gastric bypasses, 18 gastric bands, two gastric bubble or balloon procedures and three stomach staples on youngsters from April 2007 to March 2012 in the UK.