This week on WLS News, we’ll tell you which is better for losing weight and keeping it off: a diet low in fat, or low in carbs. Plus, find out how snacking is driving childhood obesity rates, and how stress can trigger obesity in girls. We’ll also explain why a diet high in fat could be deadly for women over 50, and why the growing rate of obesity in North America may be the reason that the number of arthritis sufferers is on the rise.

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Weight loss ability seems to be virtually the same for women even if they suffer from depression, a study shows. Read the full story

Weight loss surgery was a game-changer for Heather Padgett, who was depressed at 300 pounds before undergoing an operation that’s left her 165 pounds lighter. Read the full story

Check out this week’s WLS News to learn the latest research findings on the connection between cancer and obesity; discover how losing weight can help eople suffering from severe kidney disease; and find out about new research showing that obesity, depression and alcohol abuse can be viciously interrelated among young women. Plus, learn how new medical imaging technology can help doctors determine how much fat obese people carry in their pancreas, and get the details on a Scottish couple who had two of their children taken away because of weight problems. Read the full story

Twanda Trader had weight loss surgery in March 2007. Before that, she struggled with being both obese and a displaced Hurricane Katrina victim. Today, life is nice. Read the full story

Dino DeVita struggled with addiction issues stemming from childhood sexual abuse. At one point, he weighed close to 400 pounds. Read more to learn about a successful weight loss surgery that enabled his dream of bodybuilding glory. Read the full story

Behavior Modification and Weight Loss Surgery Equally Effective

A new study published in the International Journal of Obesity shows that people who lose weight by adopting healthy diet and exercise habits can keep it off over the long-term just as well as those who have bariatric surgery.

The two-year study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, compared the lifestyles of a group of 315 obese patients, each of whom had lost and kept off an average of 124 pounds – some by behavior modification, some by weight loss surgery – and kept it off an average of five-and-a-half years. At the beginning of the study, researchers assessed each patient’s weight, along with his or her food intake, activity level, and psychological factors, like depression, then measured each of the markers one year later and at the end of the study.

Interestingly, the researchers found no significant differences in the amount of calories that each group took in, or the amount of weight they regained over the two year period.  However, the bariatric surgery patients had eaten more fat and more fast food than the non-surgical patients.

They also reported less conscious control over their eating and higher incidences of depression and stress.

And, only one-third of the surgical group reported engaging in the recommended level of physical activity, compared with 60 percent of the non-surgical group.

Doctors concluded that no matter how you lose the weight, good diet, physical activity, and psychological health are important parts of your recovery process. So guys, even if you’ve dropped the pounds, it’s important that you still go to the gym to keep your heart healthy, and that you stay plugged in with your doctor and a local support group.