The pace of weight loss surgery among teens is moving rapidly these days. In fact, the number of such procedures tripled between 2000 and 2003. But what kind of physical and emotional consequences are involved with bariatric surgery performed during adolescence?
New research headed by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center will examine some of these questions in a five-year, federally funded study of more than 200 teens undergoing weight loss surgery. Some other key questions will be whether surgical results are similar to those of adults and whether earlier surgery has a better outcome.
The study will compare before and after physical data on the teens, such as cholesterol levels, cardiovascular risks and markers for diabetes with those of adults undergoing the same surgery. Psychological information, such as self esteem and self-confidence, will also be measured and compared.
Previous studies on teen weight loss surgery have suggested that the surgical risk of this surgery is lower than that of adults. Nevertheless, weight loss surgery for both teens and adults should be considered a last resort approach to weight loss.