Weight loss surgery increases risk of dying from accidents and suicide by 58%

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Monday, October 08, 2007 8:29 am Email this article
People who underwent weight loss surgery were 58 percent more likely to die from "death not caused by disease, such as accidents and suicide" during an average follow-up of 7.1 years according to a study from researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Conclusion

Conclusion: Weight loss surgery lowers death from diabetes, heart disease and cancer, but increases death from other causes

“Long-term total mortality after gastric bypass surgery was significantly reduced, particularly deaths from diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. However, the rate of death from causes other than disease was higher in the surgery group than in the control group,” the researchers concluded.

 

Subjects

Subjects: 7925 surgery patients matched against 7925 severely obese controls

The study analyzed data from 7925 people who had undergone surgery between 1984 and 2002, and they were matched for age, sex and body mass index with 7925 severely obese people who applied for a driver’s license who acted as controls.

REFERENCE

Adams T, Gress R, Smith S, Halverson R, Simper SC, Rosamond W, Lamonte M, Stroup AM, Hunt SC. Long-term mortality after gastric bypass surgery. N Engl J Med. 2007 Aug 23, 357(8):753-61.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Ted Adams
Cardiovascular Genetics Division
University of Utah School of Medicine
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
USA
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