New Jersey Bariatric Center Accepting New Patients for Low Body Mass Index (BMI) Weight Loss Surgery Study

Study Makes Gastric Bypass and Gastric Sleeve Procedures Accessible to Patients with a Body Mass Index of 30-35 -- Lower than the Current Threshold to Qualify for Surgery -- in an Effort to Examine the Effectiveness of Bariatric Surgery in Reducing Obesity-Related Conditions such as Diabetes and Hypertension

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New Jersey Bariatric Center

Jan 29, 2018, 10:10 ET

SPRINGFIELD, N.J., Jan. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- New Jersey Bariatric Center is accepting new participants in a weight loss surgery study that makes bariatric surgery accessible to patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30-35, lower than the current threshold to qualify for surgery. The study, which is the only of its kind in New Jersey, will add to the growing body of evidence that shows gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy are effective in reducing obesity-related illnesses in patients suffering from moderate obesity, according to New Jersey Bariatric Center surgical director and principal investigator Ajay Goyal, MD, FACS.

Current bariatric surgical guidelines, which were established in 1991, restrict gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy procedures to patients with a BMI over 40 or a BMI over 35 with obesity-related illnesses. The study will provide an updated perspective on the health benefits of bariatric surgery and is vital to reaching more patients with the potential to alleviate obesity-related chronic conditions, Dr. Goyal explained.

"Bariatric surgery is known to be a safe and effective way to decrease the burden of disease in the obese patient. There is a growing body of evidence that shows the same positive health effects we see in patients with a BMI over 35 will be achieved in patients with moderate obesity," said Dr. Goyal. "Our hope is to create a new standard for qualifying patients so we can intervene earlier and see positive effects on long-term health."

If approved for surgery, patients would have the procedure at Overlook Medical Center, which has been accredited by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program for its exceptional record of safety and history of positive patient outcomes. The study is open to men and women age 18 and older. There is no deadline to apply.

According to Dr. Goyal, numerous studies have proven the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in patients with class 1 obesity, including the landmark 2012 STAMPEDE trial, which found the gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in patients with a BMI of 27 to be effective in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Based largely on this evidence in 2016, 45 international professional organizations, including the American Diabetes Association, issued guidelines urging that bariatric surgery be recommended or considered as a treatment option for some categories of people with diabetes, including those who are mildly obese and fail to respond to conventional treatment.

For more information about New Jersey Bariatric Center's Low BMI Study, visit https://www.njbariatriccenter.com/weight-loss-surgery/low-bmi-bariatric-surgery/ Prospective patients may call 908-481-1270 to see if they qualify.

ABOUT NEW JERSEY BARIATRIC CENTER

New Jersey Bariatric Center, a medical and surgical weight loss center with offices in Springfield, Somerville, Hoboken, East Brunswick, and Hackettstown, New Jersey, helps patients achieve long-term weight loss success through the most advanced bariatric procedures, including gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, gastric balloon procedures. Led by the team of Ajay Goyal, MD, Glenn Forrester, MD, Angela Glasnapp, MD, and James Buwen DO, New Jersey Bariatric Center's approach to patient care has resulted in zero mortalities and a complication rate that is lower than the national average. For more information about bariatric surgery, visit www.NJBariatricCenter.com.