Long-Term Health Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Long-term studies of health outcomes in bariatric surgery patients have been published recently (e.g., JW Gen Med Sep 6 2012). In this Utah-based prospective cohort study, researchers evaluated weight, diabetes, and other cardiovascular risk factors at baseline, 2 years, and 6 years in 418 severely obese patients (mean body-mass index, 47 kg/m²; mean age, 42; 84% women) who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, a control group of 417 patients with similar clinical and demographic features who sought but did not undergo surgery, and a similarly obese population-based control group of 321 patients.

Mean weight loss in the surgical group was 35% at 2 years and 28% at 6 years; weight remained essentially unchanged in both control groups. D…