13-year-old gets lipo and a gastric lap band

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Aug 17th 2007 8:24AM

Categories: Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements

13-year-old Brooke Bates is the subject of some major controversy these days. The teenager recently had surgery to have a gastric lap band placed over her stomach, helping keep her from over-eating. But wait, that's not all -- when she was 12, she got liposuction and a tummy tuck, which helped the 220-lb girl drop 40 pounds. She gained most of it back, hence the gastric lap band. She's lost 15 lbs so far and is hoping to lose 50 more. Brooke days that after her first round of plastic surgery, she went from being the "big, fat girl to the popular girl." Plastic surgery is only available to adults in the US, so Brooke traveled to Mexico for the surgery.

I think this is absolutely appalling. Obviously, quick fixes aren't working (she gained almost all of the weight back after her first one, after all) so have her parents ever heard of teaching healthy habits? How about diet and exercise? There's no reason why a healthy 13-year-old shouldn't be able to lose weight the old fashioned way, Furthermore, why are her parents reinforcing the belief that she needs to be thin to be happy?

I think this is so wrong on so many levels. What do you think?

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Comments (5)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Christy 8-17-2007 @ 12:03PM

There are no words that can accurately describe my thoughts on how wrong that is.

kristy 8-30-2007 @ 2:42PM

i couldnt have said it better myself.

Donna 9-19-2007 @ 12:06PM

The girl needs major psychotherapy. There is often a psychological reason for hiding under a layer of fat. If she mentally needs the fat, she can gain it back on a lapband, too. POOR GIRL!

Mizbiz 9-19-2007 @ 12:06PM

i say bravo to her! and her parents...certainly this wasn't done on a spur of the moment basis, and by having the surgery done, she's sure to have a healthy lifestyle which will afford her many more years of life. a lapband CAN be removed...sharon osbourne is a good example. as for lipo-if she needed it, she needed it. at 13 there are enough body image issues...who needs extra bulk hanging around? i think this was done with every angle examined, and with the benefits outweighing (no pun intended) the downsides. good luck brooke! i'm pulling for you!

Milly 9-24-2007 @ 7:25PM

Her parents should be held accountable for ruining this child's life. At 13 they should put her on a good nutritional diet, such as weight watchers, or even (last resort) having meals delivered such as Nutri System, Jenny Craig. Surgery at such a young age will ruin this child's life. Dumb, dumb parents.