A California study finds bariatric surgery is on the rise among adolescents.
Researchers say most of the patients are white girls even though they make up less than half of overweight youth.
From 2005 to 2007 they found rates of so-called gastric banding went up five fold. The procedure involves a silicon band which is placed around the top of the stomach to restrict food intake.
The FDA has not approved the procedure for children but researchers reporting in the journal Pediatrics found low rates of problems and complications. Still they say more research is needed to ensure the safety and efficiency of this surgery in teens.
