Outcomes of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Southern Louisiana.

BACKGROUND

Obesity is rising among adolescents and young adults, leading to serious co-morbidities. Bariatric surgery is recommended for carefully selected patients to improve health and quality of life. This study reviews outcomes in adolescents and young adults who underwent bariatric surgery at an accredited center in Louisiana.

METHODS

Patients aged 10 to 25 years who underwent bariatric surgery between January 2020 and March 2025 were retrospectively studied.

RESULTS

A total of 76 patients were identified, 80% female, with a mean age of 22.6 ± 2.7 years, weight of 136.8 ± 26.3 kg, and body mass index (BMI) of 49.4 ± 7.6 kg/m2. Half of the cohort were African American, and 75% had Medicaid insurance coverage. Comorbidities were type 2 diabetes (32%), biopsy-confirmed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (33%), hypertension (18%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, 38%), sleep apnea (17%), and dyslipidemia (16%). Procedures included sleeve gastrectomy (59%), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (37%), and single anastomosis duodenal ileostomy (4%), all performed laparoscopically. Mean operative time was 107.1 ± 46.1 min, and mean hospital stay was 1.5 ± 1.2 days. Thirty-day complications occurred in 5%, with 5% readmissions and 4% requiring reoperation. There was no mortality at 30 days or 1 year. Mean follow-up was 16 months (range 1-48). Mean percentage total weight loss (TWL%): 29.4% ± 9.9% at 1 year (69% follow‑up), 29.7% ± 13.1% at 2 years (57%, follow-up) and 32.0% ± 13.9% at 3-5 years (50%, follow-up). Among patients with follow-up data, diabetes remission occurred in 94% (15/16), while improvements were observed in hypertension (67%, 8/12), dyslipidemia (67%, 4/6), and GERD (64%, 7/11).

CONCLUSION

Among adolescents and young adults from Southern Louisiana with available follow‑up data, bariatric surgery was associated with favorable short‑ to mid‑term safety outcomes and improvements in weight and obesity‑related comorbidities.