Obesity in Adolescents
Obesity has been an increasing public health problem during the last three decades throughout the world. As adults are becoming more obese thanks to changes in our modern lifestyle, with more sedentary activities, and to an abundance of unhealthy eating choices, adolescents and young kids are also starting to gain more weight at a younger age and are at a higher risk of suffering from obesity. Obesity carries the same serious health risks in adolescents than in adults, as it deteriorates their wellbeing and their quality of life, but it also carries a higher impact at a psychological level. Adolescents struggling with obesity are at a higher risk of experiencing low self-esteem, low confidence, social anxiety, and depression. Obesity in adolescents might also carry adverse links with future maturity growth and fertility.
According to the World Health Organization, in 2016, at least 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were either overweight or obese worldwide [1]. The prevalence of adolescents with obesity is pretty worrisome. It has been reported that at least 21.2% of adolescents aged 12-19 in the United States are struggling with obesity [2]. Numbers in Canada and Mexico are slightly less severe, but its tendency is rising. At least 11% of adolescents in Canada [3] and 14% of adolescents in Mexico [4] suffer from obesity.
Bariatric surgery is considered a safe and effective treatment for obesity, both in adult and adolescent patients. The team at LIMARP International Center of Excellence for Obesity offers weight loss surgery for adolescents in Tijuana, Mexico. While the surgery itself is the same for patients of any age, surgical procedures of any kind for your child can be stressful. Dr. Liza Maria Pompa González works closely and carefully with both patients and parents to help adolescents safely achieve a healthy weight.
Adolescents as candidates for bariatric surgery
Despite the previously established facts and the high incidence of obesity in adolescents, metabolic and bariatric surgery in this population is not yet as frequent as it is in adults. Families of adolescents dealing with obesity are still quite reluctant about considering weight loss surgery as a part of their treatment. For instance, most people think that weight loss surgery might affect adolescents’ growth, but research has found that bariatric surgeries such as the gastric sleeve do not impair linear growth in adolescents [5].
Adolescents with a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than 35 that have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, severe obstructive sleep apnea or severe fatty liver disease are candidates for bariatric surgery. In fact, bariatric surgery in these cases is highly recommended. Adolescents with a BMI higher than 40 are also eligible when other weight reduction methods, such as dieting and exercise, have been unsuccessful [6].
Adolescents with a BMI higher than 35 should consider bariatric surgery as part of their obesity treatment if they have also been diagnosed with:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Severe obstructive sleep apnea
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
- Severe nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (fatty liver disease)
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia
- Prediabetes
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Weight-related quality of life impairment
- Joint, skeletal, and functional/mobility impairments
However, bariatric surgery is not recommended when adolescents either:
- Have less than 12 years of age
- Have a medically correctable cause for their obesity
- Are pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the next year
- Have a history of substance abuse within the past year
- Or are experiencing any medical, psychiatric, psychosocial or cognitive condition that might prevent them from complying their post-operative diet, medical instructions, follow-up, and vitamin supplementation [6]
Adolescents seeking to obtain bariatric surgery should all have their parents’ full support. This is very important, not only because their parents should also give their consent for the surgery, but also because it impacts the teenager’s compliance with post-operative indications and a healthier lifestyle.
Bariatric surgery has been recommended for early intervention in adolescents struggling with obesity to lose weight, resolve comorbidities, reduce the progression of end-organ damage and prevent more obesity-related illnesses. It has been recommended in the 2018 ASMBS pediatric metabolic and bariatric surgery guidelines and among the Treatment Options of Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) [6].
Laparoscopic gastric band, gastric sleeve and gastric bypass have all been all proven safe and effective bariatric surgeries in adolescents.
What to Expect in Adolescent Bariatric Surgery
Bariatric surgery for adolescents is pretty much the same as those for adults and it delivers the same benefits. The only thing that is different is that the surgical team should be complemented with a pediatrician.
Adolescents that are candidates for bariatric surgery should be thoroughly evaluated before their procedure to make sure they are fully prepared for the whole treatment. At LIMARP International Center of Excellence for Obesity, located in Tijuana, Mexico, we offer an integral bariatric program that includes either a non-surgical procedure like the gastric band or intragastric balloon or a surgical procedure like the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or metabolic surgery, along with psychological counselling, full pre-op and post-op nutritional guidance, personalized fitness routines and long-term follow-up.
Patients travelling from abroad may prefer our all-inclusive package that includes a two-night stay at our next-door Grand Hotel Tijuana and transportation to and fro the airport and the hotel.
Adolescents receiving weight loss surgery can expect to be in the operating room for about an hour and in their private recovery rooms for one or two nights. After surgery, patients should take mandatory rest for a week and should stick to an only liquids diet that will gradually progress to pureed foods, soft solids and solids. Patients may return to their daily activities at week 2 after their procedure.
After their surgery, adolescent patients should be available for their follow-up consultations at week 3, month 3, month 6, and each year after their procedure. Follow-up is very important, as it helps us identify proper progression of the treatment and to avoid weight regain. For a more practical and convenient experience, at LIMARP we offer a follow-up app that you can download on your phone or save as a favorite page in your internet browser and that will help you keep track of your weight loss and your health progress. This app will also notify our team if there is any sign of concern after your surgery.
Dr. Liza María Pompa Gonzalez has practiced bariatric surgery in thousands of patients and hundreds of adolescents that travel from all around the globe to receive obesity treatment at LIMARP. With Dr. Pompa you can rest assured that your health and safety is at the best hands.
Contact us
If you would like to know more about bariatric surgery for adolescents or about our options for obesity treatment, please call or message us today. Our phone number is (619) 270-8823. We are also available in this page or in any of our social media pages. Our team of experts will be glad to help.
References
- [1] World Health Organization (June 9, 2021). Obesity and overweight. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
- [2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (n.d.). Obesity and Overweight. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm
- [3] World Health Organization (2018). Canada. Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Country Profiles. https://www.who.int/nmh/countries/2018/can_en.pdf?ua=1
- [4] World Health Organization (2018). Mexico. Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) Country Profiles. https://www.who.int/nmh/countries/2018/mex_en.pdf?ua=1
- [5] Alqahtani, A.; Elahmedi, M. & Al Qahtani A. R. (2016). Laparascopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Children Younger than 14 Years: Refuting the Concerns. Ann Surg., 263(2):312-9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26496081/
- [6] Derderian, S. C.; Michalsky, M. P. & Inge, T. H. (2020). Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents. The ASMBS Textbook of Bariatric Surgery. Springer. 535-544.