Dr. Christine J. Ren-Fielding, an experienced bariatric surgeon, reviews new research confirming the safety and benefits of weight loss surgery for older adults.
Photo: Juliana Thomas
Many older adults with obesity often believe they are not eligible for bariatric surgery because of their age. Now, new research, published in JAMA Surgery, finds that all types of weight loss surgery are safe for patients over the age of 55 and successfully help patients lose weight and keep it off.
“In the last 10 years, bariatric surgery has become one of the safest operations you can undergo regardless of your age,” says Christine J. Ren-Fielding, MD, director of NYU Langone’s Weight Management Program and chief of the Division of Bariatric Surgery. Researchers reviewed 16 studies and found improved weight loss 1 year after the procedure and a lower mortality 30 days after surgery.
“I don’t think age is a limiting factor so far as having surgery,” says Dr. Ren-Fielding, who has operated on hundreds of patients over the age of 55. She encourages those considering surgery for weight loss to speak with their doctors and assess their individual risk versus benefits.
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