Morbidly obese patients who undergo bariatric surgery have a better chance of living a longer life, a recent study shows. The benefits of gastric bypass surgery for individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more outweigh the risks, researchers at the University of Cincinnati have shown.
Dr. Daniel P. Schauer, assistant professor of internal medicine at the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, and his team reviewed post-surgical data on over 23,000 people who had gastric bypass surgery. They compared that data to the immediate risk of death from the surgery and number of years patients gained from having the surgery. The data show that a 42-year-old woman with a BMI of 45 would gain three years of life expectancy and a 44-year-old man with a BMI of 45 would gain 2.6 years.
Bariatric surgeries, including gastric bypass surgery, help people lose weight and lessen the risk for health issues attributed to obesity, including diabetes, stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular problems.
Gastric bypass surgery, the most common bariatric surgery performed in the U.S., restricts food intake and restricts the amount of food the body absorbs. If patients exercise and eat healthy food, they can experience long-term and consistent weight loss.
The choice to undergo bariatric surgery partly depends on the person’s age and other factors, and should always be discussed with a doctor. Read more about this study on the National Women’s health Information website
