Teens Triumph Over Obesity: NIH Study Reveals Sustained Success of Weight-Loss Surgery

A decade after adolescent bariatric surgery, over 50% of participants sustained major weight loss and saw significant health improvements, including diabetes remission.

The findings underscore the procedure’s long-term safety and effectiveness, with personal testimonies confirming its life-changing impact.

Long-Term Benefits of Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents

According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, ten years after having bariatric surgery as teenagers, more than half of study participants not only maintained significant weight loss but also saw improvements in obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

“Our study presents impressive outcomes of the longest follow-up of weight loss surgery during adolescence, which validates bariatric surgery as a safe and effective long-term obesity management strategy,” said lead author Justin Ryder, PhD, Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Surgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Associate Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Despite its benefits, bariatric surgery remains underused nationally, with only one in 2,500 teens with severe obesity undergoing the procedure. In the U.S., nearly five million adolescents meet the criteria for effective weight loss treatments like bariatric surgery based on current guidelines.

Personal Triumphs and the Importance of Early Intervention

Hillary Fisher, now 31, was pleased with her decision to undergo surgery at age 16. She was among the 260 adolescents who participated long-term in the Teen-LABS study.

“I was crushed by the daily issues I faced due to my weight, health problems, and bullying in high school,” Ms. Fisher said. “After many unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, at 260 pounds, we decided bariatric surgery was the answer. It changed my life…the improved health and self-esteem that came with the 100-pound weight loss were important to me and I would certainly do it again.”

Importantly, the study found that 55 percent of the participants who had type 2 diabetes as teenagers and underwent surgery were still in remission of their diabetes at 10 years.

Comparative Success in Adolescent Bariatric Surgery

“This is considerably better than the outcomes reported in people who underwent bariatric surgery as adults, a major reason why treating obesity seriously in adolescents is so important,” added Dr. Ryder.

Indeed, a recent multi-center randomized controlled trial found diabetes type 2 remission in adults to be 12-18 percent at seven to 12 years after bariatric surgery.

Teen-LABS investigators analyzed outcomes of 260 patients at 10 years after bariatric surgery as teenagers (13-19 years of age). They found that the body mass index (BMI) declined by 20 percent.

“The fascinating part is that when we use these operations in teenagers, the remission of health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure are more durable than when operations are done later in adulthood,” said Thomas Inge, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator of the Teen-LABS study and Surgeon-in-Chief at Lurie Children’s.

For more on this study, see Study Shows Teen Weight-Loss Surgery Delivers Lasting Health Gains.

Reference: “Ten-Year Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents” by Justin R. Ryder, Todd M. Jenkins, Changchun Xie, Anita P. Courcoulas, Carroll M. Harmon, Michael A. Helmrath, Stephanie Sisley, Marc P. Michalsky, Mary Brandt and Thomas H. Inge, 30 October 2024, New England Journal of Medicine.
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2404054

Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. The Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Program at Lurie Children’s provides comprehensive, highly experienced care for youth with obesity. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

The research reported here was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases under grant numbers DK072493, DK072493, DK095710, and the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program grants TR000077 and TR000114.

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