Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery and Adjustable Gastric Banding Significantly Improves Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Among Morbidly Obese Multiethnic Adolescents

Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz, Gabriela Lopez-Mitnik, Kristopher L. Arheart, Alan Livingstone, Emilio Forno, Tracie L. Miller, Steven E. Lipshultz, Sarah E. Messiah

Volume 122, Issue 21, Supplement 23 Circulation (American Heart Association)

Key Takeaways

This research was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, one of the most prestigious cardiovascular conferences in the world.
Bariatric surgery in teenagers with severe obesity significantly improved multiple heart disease risk factors including blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
The multiethnic adolescent cohort from South Florida showed cardiovascular improvements are achievable across diverse groups.
For parents concerned about their teenager's heart health, this shows surgery can meaningfully reduce cardiovascular risk factors.

Abstract/Summary

This published abstract presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2010 and published in Circulation reported that laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery and adjustable gastric banding significantly improve cardiometabolic disease risk among morbidly obese multiethnic adolescents. The analysis demonstrated significant improvements in blood pressure, lipid profiles, glucose metabolism, and other cardiometabolic markers in a diverse adolescent cohort from South Florida.

In-Depth Review

Why This Research Was Needed

Teenagers with severe obesity already show early signs of heart disease: rising blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol and insulin resistance. In 2010, there was little evidence that bariatric surgery could reverse these changes in adolescents, and almost none in Hispanic and Black teens.

What Was Presented

This abstract, presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in 2010 and published in Circulation, reported that gastric bypass and gastric banding significantly improved cardiometabolic risk factors in a multiethnic group of adolescents from South Florida, including blood pressure, lipid levels and glucose metabolism. A companion abstract reported similar benefits in Hispanic adults.

What This Means for Teens and Families

Improving heart risk factors during adolescence may prevent decades of damage. Our 10- to 18-year follow-up of adolescent patients later showed that many of these benefits last into adulthood. Families can learn more about adolescent obesity and start with Am I a Candidate?.

Strengths and Limitations

As a conference abstract, this is a short, early report. The full results were published in peer-reviewed journals, including Changes in Weight and Comorbidities Among Adolescents Undergoing Bariatric Surgery: 1-Year Results from the Bariatric Outcomes Longitudinal Database.

Expert Commentary

When we presented this to cardiologists, the message was that adolescent obesity is a cardiovascular problem, not a cosmetic one. Treating it early changes a young person’s risk for the rest of their life.

— Dr. Nestor de la Cruz-Muñoz

De La Cruz-Muñoz N, Lopez-Mitnik G, Arheart KL, Livingstone A, Forno E, Miller TL, Lipshultz SE, Messiah SE. Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery and Adjustable Gastric Banding Significantly Improves Cardiometabolic Disease Risk Among Morbidly Obese Multiethnic Adolescents. Circulation. 2010;122(21 Suppl 23):A19842.