Effect of Ethnicity on Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery
Zhamak Khorgami, Chi Zhang, Sarah E. Messiah, Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz
- This study found that bariatric surgery produces significant weight loss for patients of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Regardless of whether patients identified as Hispanic, Black, White, or another background, all groups achieved meaningful and life-changing weight loss after surgery.
- The research also showed that the amount and pace of weight loss can vary somewhat depending on a patient's ethnic background. Understanding these differences helps Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz set personalized, realistic expectations for each patient and tailor follow-up care to support the best possible outcome.
- This article became the 5th most cited paper in the entire history of Obesity Surgery — a major international surgical journal — and was one of the most downloaded articles the year it was published. This level of impact means that surgeons and researchers around the world have relied on this study to guide their understanding of weight loss surgery outcomes.
- Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz is the senior author who led the research program that produced this study. His practice in Miami serves one of the most ethnically diverse patient populations in the country, and this research reflects his deep commitment to understanding how to deliver the best surgical outcomes for every patient, regardless of background.
- For patients from Hispanic and Black communities — who are disproportionately affected by severe obesity but have historically had less access to weight loss surgery — this study provides reassuring evidence that bariatric surgery is effective across all ethnic groups, supporting the case for broader access to this life-changing treatment.
This landmark study published in Obesity Surgery analyzed the effect of ethnicity on weight loss outcomes after bariatric surgery using a large national database. The study compared weight loss trajectories following metabolic and bariatric surgery across major racial and ethnic groups — including Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and other racial/ethnic categories — to determine whether ethnicity independently influences surgical weight loss outcomes. The analysis demonstrated that while all racial and ethnic groups achieved clinically significant weight loss following bariatric surgery, there were measurable differences in the magnitude and trajectory of weight loss across ethnic groups, with important implications for patient counseling, outcome expectations, and postoperative follow-up strategies. This paper became one of the highest downloaded articles of its publication year and subsequently achieved the distinction of being the 5th most cited article in the entire history of Obesity Surgery — the official journal of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). This extraordinary citation impact reflects the paper's foundational contribution to the field's understanding of how race and ethnicity influence bariatric surgery outcomes, a topic of critical importance given the disproportionate burden of severe obesity among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black populations. Dr. de la Cruz-Muñoz is the senior and corresponding author, reflecting his leadership of the research program at the University of Miami that produced this work and his mentorship of Dr. Khorgami, who served as the first author.
Khorgami Z, Zhang C, Messiah SE, de la Cruz-Muñoz N. Effect of Ethnicity on Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery. Obesity Surgery. 2015;25(5):769-776. PMID: 25430619.
