Bariatric surgery in adolescents with severe obesity: Recommendations of the Nutrition Branch, Chilean Pediatric Society

Abstract

In recent years, severe obesity in adolescents has been rising worldwide, and Chile is no exception to this phenomenon. This condition exponentially increases health risks and it is associated with premature mortality. Since 2008, several guidelines on pediatric obesity treatment have included bariatric surgery as a treatment strategy for certain severely obese adolescents. These procedures have proven to be safe and efficient in adults. Recent evidence shows that, when done in specialized centers, the results would be similar in adolescents in the short and medium term. Nonetheless, in this group of patients, bariatric surgery has risks related to their stage of development, and data on long-term results and complications are still lacking. Therefore, to achieve the expected results, the patient selection, surgery, and follow-up must be carried out by qualified multidisciplinary teams, in hospitals centers that have the appropriate infrastructure, It is essential for the patients a life-long adherence to medical and nutritional monitoring. The objective of this document is to present the position statement of the Nutrition Branch of the Chilean Society of Pediatrics on the different issues to be considered for the adequate indication of these procedures in severely obese adolescents.