Delaying bariatric surgery until higher weight may result in poorer outcomes
It is estimated that more than 34 percent of adults in the United States are classified as obese, with a BMI of 30 or greater. Achieving a body mass index of less than 30 is an important goal of bariatric surgery, given the increased risk for weight-related health conditions and death with a BMI above this level. Oliver A. Varban, M.D., of the University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor and colleagues conducted a study to identify predictors for achieving a BMI of less than 30 after bariatric surgery. The researchers examined data for a total of 27,320 adults who underwent bariatric surgery in Michigan between June 2006 and May 2015. A total of 9,713 patients (36 percent) achieved a BMI of less than 30 at 1 year after bariatric surgery. A significant predictor for achieving this goal was a preoperative BMI of less than 40. Patients who had the surgical procedure of sleeve gastrectomy , gastric bypass, or duodenal switch were more likely to achieve a BMI of less than 30 compa...