Gastric Bypass What Significant Findings Case Study

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The finding is that gastric bypass surgery does not have an impact on life expectancy of the patient, only quality of life. The general trend is that the higher the BMI, the lower the life expectancy and quality of life. Males have higher life expectancies compared with females of equivalent age and BMI. That both life expectancy and quality of life both decrease with higher BMI and higher age is not surprising, and this holds up for both genders.

The latter finding is not necessary related to BMI. It is something that occurs naturally, as all people find that their age and general level of health will affect their life expectancy and quality of life. In this study, some control should have been implemented to determine the degree to which these factors are genuinely impacted by the obesity. There is an inference of causation when the authors have only truly noted correlation.

In addition, the question of the impact that the surgery has on quality of life is not answered. Estimating quality of life without the surgery does not shed any particular light -- the respondents to this question may have been a mix of gastric bypass patients and those without such treatment.
Comparing the impacts of the treatment with no treatment is more informative, but is not addressed in this question.

4. Do you agree or disagree with the answer provided to question 3. How does the life expectancy compare for men vs. women, and for those with gastric bypass vs. those without gastric bypass? Why?

This answer is insufficient. The answer needs to be put into context. That men have lower life expectancy than women in general is self-evident. More interesting, and useful information would calculate what happens to this gap as a result gastric bypass. Is the impact that gastric bypass have on life expectancy stronger in men or women, for example, would be more useful information. In addition, the authors misrepresent their findings somewhat. For women, life expectancy is equal or higher without treatment, while the authors claim that life expectancy "increases somewhat" with treatment. That simply is not the case for women. They are overstating the effectiveness of the treatment, which is unethical. They should have also drawn the conclusion that quality of life improves much more….....

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