LONDON: A decade after adolescent bariatric surgery, over 50% of participants sustained major weight loss and saw significant health improvements, including diabetes remission.
The findings underscore the procedure’s long-term safety and effectiveness, with personal testimonies confirming its life-changing impact.
Long-Term Benefits of Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents
According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, ten years after having bariatric surgery as teenagers, more than half of study participants not only maintained significant weight loss but also saw improvements in obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
“Our study presents impressive outcomes of the longest follow-up of weight loss surgery during adolescence, which validates bariatric surgery as a safe and effective long-term obesity management strategy,” said lead author Justin Ryder, PhD, Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Despite its benefits, bariatric surgery remains underused nationally, with only one in 2,500 teens with severe obesity undergoing the procedure. In the U.S., nearly five million adolescents meet the criteria for effective weight loss treatments like bariatric surgery based on current guidelines.
Personal Triumphs and the Importance of Early Intervention
Hillary Fisher, now 31, was pleased with her decision to undergo surgery at age 16. She was among the 260 adolescents who participated long-term in the Teen-LABS study.
“I was crushed by the daily issues I faced due to my weight, health problems, and bullying in high school,” Ms. Fisher said. “After many unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, at 260 pounds, we decided bariatric surgery was the answer. It changed my life…the improved health and self-esteem that came with the 100-pound weight loss were important to me and I would certainly do it again.”
Importantly, the study found that 55 percent of the participants who had type 2 diabetes as teenagers and underwent surgery were still in remission of their diabetes at 10 years.
