Weight loss surgeries among adolescents jumped 15% between 2021 and 2023, a UT Southwestern Medical Center study found.
In 2018, 9.1% of adolescents had Class II or III obesity, which is associated with a range of health issues.
“Severe obesity is very common, much more common than it should be, and it is unlikely to respond to lifestyle interventions alone,” Sarah Barlow, MD, co-lead on the study and a professor of pediatrics at UTSW, said in a May 5 news release from the Dallas-based system. “I think the relative number of bariatric surgeries is still pretty low, given the potential benefit and need among kids.”
Metabolic and bariatric surgery is considered the gold standard for sustained weight loss and decreasing risk of obesity-related health problems, though GLP-1 medications are becoming more common, according to the study. The FDA approved GLP-1 medications for adults in June 2021 and for adolescents in December 2022.
Metabolic and bariatric surgery rose in adults in 2021 but dropped in 2023, possibly due to the increased use of GLP-1s, the study found.
The study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, analyzed data from 1,000 medical centers accredited to perform metabolic and bariatric surgery from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program participant use files. Researchers gathered data on adolescents ages 13-19 and adults who received surgery between 2021 and 2023.
Here are five things to know:
1. Metabolic and bariatric surgery increased among adolescents, going from 1,376 patients in 2021 to 1,581 in 2023.
2. The mean age of surgery decreased slightly from 17.91 to 17.79.
3. Gastric sleeve operations were the most common, making up more than 86% of all surgeries performed.
4. The increase in adolescent surgeries was due to an increase in procedures among Hispanic and Black teens.
5. Among those who underwent surgery, their BMI was greater than 50. Researchers said doing the procedure sooner could help patients lower their BMI at a younger age, reducing the risk of health problems over time.
