How much weight will I lose?

In general, we expect people who have a gastric band fitted will lose 50-60% of their excess weight over a 2-year period (though the majority of the weight is lost in the first year). 

Do remember, however, that 50-60% excess weight is the average weight  loss. Some people will do better and some a little worse than this.

For example, a 5ft 6in person weighing 17st (240 lbs) has an ideal weight of about 154 lbs, so an excess weight of 240-154 = 86lbs. 60% of 86lbs is around 50lbs.  In other words, following gastric banding, this person could expect a weight loss (on average) of around 3½ to 4st.

What happens to weight loss in the longer term? 

The first laparoscopic implantation of the gastric band took place in 1993 so we have a maximum period of 15 years follow-up.

The evidence we have is that the gastric band obesity surgery provides durable weight loss for the majority of people and that the gastric band material itself (silicone) does not appear to degrade in any significant way.

This is especially true of the latest generation of gastric bands (A-P bands) which incorporate many design improvements.  So whilst we do not yet have studies showing what happens to gastric bands after 30 or 40 years, we have no reason to think the lap band will not function perfectly well for decades.    

Read the Healthier Weight study of Gastric Band patients over a 12 year period