Five-Year Bariatric Outcomes: Adolescents vs. Adults

Bariatric surgery has the potential for weight loss and improvement of obesity-related health conditions in both adolescents and adults. However, whether outcomes differ by age at surgery has been questioned.

Researchers examined 5-year outcomes in 161 adolescents (aged 13–19 years) and 396 adults (aged 25–50) with obesity since adolescence who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The two groups had similar and significant weight loss. Adolescents were significantly more likely to have remission of diabetes and hypertension. Among adolescents, the prevalence of diabetes dropped from 14% at baseline to 2% at 5 years; among adults, prevalence dropped from 31% to 12%. No adolescent had to take diabetes-related medication, at 5 years, compared wi…