Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery in Different Age Groups

  • Original Contributions
  • Published:
Obesity Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Weight loss after bariatric operations may be reduced in older patients due to changes in metabolism. Some studies showed inferior weight loss in older patients compared to younger ones while others showed no such difference. In order to counsel patients about the expected weight loss after bariatric surgery, recommendations stratified by age are important.

Methods

This study encompasses a retrospective analysis of 500 consecutive patients with RYGB or sleeve gastrectomies from a single institution with a mean follow-up time of 3.6 years. Patients were stratified into five groups according to age at the time point of the operation: < 30 years, 30–39 years, 40–49 years, 50–59 years, and ≥ 60 years.

Results

Weight loss expressed in percent excessive body mass index loss (%EBMIL) at nadir were 86.6, 89.5, 84.0, 77.9, and 76.4% and 75.6, 78.4, 73.3, 68.0, and 69.0% at the time of last follow-up for the five groups, respectively. Weight loss was significantly higher in younger patients than in older patients for both time points. The total number of comorbidities that showed complete remission (normal values without treatment), was also significantly higher in the younger age groups.

Conclusions

Primary bariatric operations yield better weight loss results and remission rates of obesity related comorbidities in younger patients, but are still effective in older individuals.

Graphical abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Contreras JE, Santander C, Court I, Bravo J. Correlation between age and weight loss after bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2013;23:1286–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Giordano S, Victorzon M. Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y gastric bypass in elderly patients (60 years or older): a meta-analysis of comparative studies. Scand J Surg. 2018;107(1):6–13.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Fernández-Ananín S, Ballester E, Gonzalo B, Codina C, Miñambres I, Pérez A, et al. Is sleeve gastrectomy as effective in older patients as in younger patients? A comparative analysis of weight loss, related comorbidities, and medication requirements. Obes Surg. 2022;32(6):1909–17.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Iranmanesh P, Boudreau V, Ramji K, Barlow K, Lovrics O, Anvari M. Outcomes of bariatric surgery in elderly patients: a registry based cohort study with 3-year follow-up. Int J Obes.

  5. Gonzalez-Heredia R, Patel N, Sanchez-Johnsen L, Masrur M, Murphey M, Chen J, et al. Does age influence bariatric surgery outcomes? Bar Surg Pract Pat Care. 2015;10(2):74–8.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Abbas M, Cumella L, Zhang Y, Choi J, Vemulapalli P, Melvin WS, et al. Outcomes of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in patients older than 60. Obes Surg. 2015;25(12):2251–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Pannemans DL, Westerterp KR. Energy expenditure, physical activity and basal metabolic rate of elderly subjects. Br J Nutr. 1995;73(4):571–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Hall TC, Pellen MG, Sedman PC, Jain PK. Preoperative factors predicting remission of type 2 diabetes mellitus after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery for obesity. Obes Surg. 2010;20(9):1245–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Vallois A, Menahem B, Alves A. Is laparoscopic bariatric surgery safe and effective in patients over 60 years of age? An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Surg. 2020;30(12):5059–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Marczuk P, Kubisa MJ, Święch M, Walędziak M, Kowalewski P, Major P, et al. Effectiveness and safety of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in elderly patients—systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Surg. 2019;29(2):361–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Goldberg I, Yang J, Nie L, Bates AT, Docimo S Jr, Pryor AD, et al. Safety of bariatric surgery in patients older than 65 years. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2019;15(8):1380–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Janik MR, Mustafa RR, Rogula TG, Saleh AA, Abbas M, Khaitan L. Safety of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in elderly patients—analysis of the MBSAQIP. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2018;14(9):1276–82.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Xu C, Yan T, Liu H, Mao R, Peng Y, Liu Y. Comparative safety and effectiveness of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy in obese elder patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Surg. 2020;30(9):3408–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital Olten, Baslerstrasse 150, 4600, Olten, Switzerland

    Urs Pfefferkorn & Melika Beluli

  2. Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital Baden, 5404, Baden, Switzerland

    Sabrina Hort

  3. Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Kantonsspital Olten, 4600, Olten, Switzerland

    Monica La Vista & Thomas Züger

Authors
  1. Urs Pfefferkorn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sabrina Hort
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Melika Beluli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Monica La Vista
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Thomas Züger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Urs Pfefferkorn.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

This retrospective analysis was approved by the local ethics committee. (EKNZ 2022–01656).

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Keypoints

• Weight loss after bariatric surgery is higher in younger compared to older patients.

• Resolution of comorbidities is more frequent in younger individuals.

• Bariatric operations achieve good to excellent mid-term results in all age groups.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pfefferkorn, U., Hort, S., Beluli, M. et al. Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery in Different Age Groups. OBES SURG 33, 1154–1159 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06488-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06488-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation