Long-term benefits of weight loss surgery in young people

Severely obese youth who underwent weight-loss surgery at age 19 or younger continued to experience sustained weight loss and resolution of common obesity-related comorbidities 10 years later, according to results from a large clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health. US NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH).

Study participants, with an average age of 17 years, had undergone gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgery for weight loss. After 10 years, participants achieved an average 20% reduction in body mass index (BMI), a 55% reduction in type 2 diabetes, a 57% reduction in hypertension, and a 54% reduction in abnormal cholesterol levels. Both gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy produced similar results.

According to a recently published study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the 55% reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes was much higher than the rates observed in adults after weight loss surgery (18% after seven years and 12.7% after 12 years). ).

Type 2 diabetes tends to progress more quickly when it occurs in younger people, and these results demonstrate the greater health benefits and longevity of bariatric surgery in youth than would be expected in adults receiving similar treatment.

The study, known as Teen Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen LABS), was supported by the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) through grants DK072493, DK072493, DK095710, and the NIH National Center for Research Resources and National Center. Grants TR000077 and TR000114 for Advancement of the Clinical and Translational Science Award Program.

The data associated with these findings is available for query in the NIDDK Central Repository.