Alana ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Thompson Undergoing Weight Loss Surgery

Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson has decided to undergo weight loss surgery as she looks forward to her future. The 16-year-old will head to New York City in late August to get a suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve from weight loss doctor Steven Batash shortly after her 17th birthday, Thompson’s manager Gina Rodriguez told TMZ Wednesday.

The former Toddlers & Tiaras star wants to get down to 150 lbs. from her current weight of 275 lbs., but hasn’t seen the results she’s been hoping for simply with diet and exercise over the past year. Thompson is reportedly worried that the weight she’s gained has more to do with her genetics and wants to undergo the surgery to help her lose weight and live a happier life. By her side is sister and guardian, Lauryn “Pumpkin” Efird, who signed off on the surgery, as well as Thompson’s 20-year-old boyfriend, Dralin Carswell, who will also be undergoing weight loss surgery at the same time.

 In August 2021, Thompson opened up about the body positivity movement in an interview with Teen Vogue, saying that she felt like her generation was “probably making it worse.” The Mama June: Road to Redemption star explained, “Everybody’s all about body positivity, body positivity, until they see a body they don’t like. I don’t understand why people think this way. Just because I got a little bit of extra meat on my bones, you want to hate me? I’ll never get body shaming.” She continued, “Like, I know I’m beautiful, and I know I got a banging body, so… I don’t care.”

The teenager also opened up about what life has been like for her family as they struggled through Mama June Shannon’s struggle with drugs. Thompson said the whole experience had been “very, very hard on her family,” noting that experience is more common than people admit. “A lot of folks in this world do not realize how many people are actually really affected by drug and alcohol [use]… It’s very, very hard. It’s something I’d wish on nobody, for real,” she said. “When my mama got real bad with her [drug use], I didn’t know where I was going to end up. I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come.”