More than 11,500 gastric band operations were performed in Australia last year. The procedure is helping to combat Australia’s rapidly increasing obesity rate. The rates of overweight and obese adults in Australia have doubled over the last two decades.

Two people to benefit from having gastric bands are married couple John and Tamara Treloar. With three young children they are the picture of marital and family bliss. But life hasn’t always been this way.

Tamara, 36, had struggled with her weight for years when she decided to seek lap band surgery. Two months later John, 39, did the same. Weighing in at 167kgs, he says there was a time when he felt ashamed to step outside their home. After years of trying everything from liquid to protein diets they could lose weight but never keep it off. As a last resort they decided to opt for surgery. They say their gastric bands have given them their lives back.

Bariatric surgeon Chris Hensman says “By the time I see people for lap band surgery they have made many attempts to lose weight but haven’t been succesful. Clinical depression is also common in this group but is often hidden. Being overweight is often thought to be self inflicted but this is not true. There are a complex set of mechanisms at work and genetics play a central role.”

Casey Weekly Berwick

NOSC View

It is interesting to hear that Australia is second to the US in the obesity stakes. Australians are often portrayed as leading a very healthy, outdoors kind of lifestyle.Seems like the problem is rife in all of the western world. Great to hear about this couple having their gastric bands together. We often find couples attending for treatment together, sometimes husbands and wives, sometimes mothers and daughters or friends. Great for moral support.








Make an enquiry: Call 0345 618 7276 | Enquiry form