weight-Loss Surgery Significantly Reduces Metabolic Risk in Obese Adults, Study Finds
PHILADELPHIA - Bariatric surgery demonstrably lowers the risk of developing serious metabolic conditions compared to traditional medical weight management programs for adults with obesity, according to new research published September 9th in JAMA Network Open. The findings offer compelling evidence for the long-term benefits of surgical intervention in mitigating obesity-related health risks.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Dr. Amanda L. Bader, analyzed data from the Veterans Health Administration Corporate Data Warehouse, comparing outcomes for 5,813 veterans who underwent bariatric surgery with 263,657 enrolled in a medical weight management program. The study underscores a growing need for effective, durable solutions to the obesity epidemic, which impacts millions and contributes to a range of chronic diseases.
The five-year analysis revealed substantially lower incidence rates of several key metabolic comorbidities in the bariatric surgery group. Rates per 1,000 person-years were 3.35 for hypertension,4.85 for hyperlipidemia, 1.06 for type 2 diabetes,3.43 for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and 2.01 for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), compared to 8.89, 9.67, 4.29, 3.99, and 2.44, respectively, in the weight management program group.
Specifically, bariatric surgery was associated with a statistically importent reduction in risk for incident type 2 diabetes (hazard ratio [HR], 0.21),hypertension (HR,0.41), hyperlipidemia (HR, 0.49), OSA (HR, 0.43),and MASLD (HR,0.60). These benefits remained consistent even within a subgroup analysis focusing solely on female veterans.
“This finding supports the relevance of bariatric surgery as a durable approach for obesity-related risk mitigation,” the authors concluded.
Several authors disclosed ties to relevant organizations.
