Weight loss surgery significantly improves long-term health outcomes for teens by reducing obesity-related conditions and helping them maintain a lower BMI for years after the procedure.
In the U.S., about 1 in 5 teenagers struggles with obesity, a condition that raises the risk of serious health issues such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. While the first line of treatment is usually lifestyle changes—like improving diet and increasing physical activity—some teens may need additional help. When lifestyle changes aren’t enough, doctors might recommend medications or weight loss surgery, also known as metabolic or bariatric surgery. However, until now, the long-term effects of such surgeries in teens were not fully understood.
To address this gap, a research team supported by the NIH launched a large clinical study in 2007. The study aimed to evaluate how safe and effective weight loss surgery is for teenagers with severe obesity (defined as having a body mass index, or BMI, of 35 or higher).
A total of 260 teens underwent bariatric surgery at six different clinical centers. Of these, 161 had gastric bypass surgery, while 99 received a gastric sleeve. The participants were, on average, 17 years old. Researchers gathered health data before surgery and continued monitoring the participants for up to 10 years. The findings were published on October 31, 2024, in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The results showed that BMI dropped significantly during the first year after surgery and stayed lower even a decade later. Regardless of which surgery type they had, participants saw an average 20% reduction in BMI after 10 years. Teens who lost more weight within the first six months after surgery tended to have better long-term results.
Additionally, many health conditions that participants had before surgery improved dramatically. For example, 57% of teens with high blood pressure no longer had it 10 years later. Similarly, 54% saw improvements in cholesterol levels, and 55% of those with type 2 diabetes no longer had the condition after a decade.
Interestingly, the improvements in type 2 diabetes among teens were even better than those seen in adults. A separate NIH-supported study found that only 18% of adults were diabetes-free seven years after surgery, and just 13% remained diabetes-free after 12 years.
“These results are much more positive than what we see in adults,” says Dr. Justin R. Ryder, the study’s lead author from Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. “It shows why early treatment of obesity in teens is so important. Our study confirms that bariatric surgery is a safe and effective long-term option for managing obesity in adolescents.”
The researchers also mention that more studies are needed to compare the long-term results of surgery with those of weight-loss medications for teens with severe obesity.
