Long term outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery during adolescence

Adolescents with severe obesity are at high risk of severe health complications and have a reduced life expectancy.

Obesity treatment is currently developing rapidly with obesity surgery being a routine treatment for adolescents from the age of 15 in some guidelines, and new drug treatments for obesity being established.

The adolescence may be a pivotal time to treat severe obesity and successful intervention can turn a bleak lifelong health outlook into a normal life course.

Previous data from obesity surgery in adolescents show similar results as in adults regarding weight loss and improvements in cardio-vascular risk, and and the intervention appears to be well tolerated.

Projects in this application focus on potential negative long-term effects from undergoing obesity surgery during the adolescence.

Research questions will be addressed in a collaborative network of leading Swedish researchers and clinicians in pediatric obesity treatment since more than 15-years in the AMOS (Adolescent Morbid Obesity Surgery) group.

The overarching aim is to improve the safety when using obesity surgery in adolescents by providing long-term safety data.

Such data will support timely intervention with high level of safety to those benefitting most, i.e., precision medicine.Specific aims are to evaluate areas long-term after bariatric surgery during adolescence:- vitamin and mineral deficiencies- bone health - mental health status and addiction- prevalence of weight regain