WHAT IS
WEIGHT LOSS
SURGERY?

Surgery for weight loss (bariatric surgery) aims to reduce weight and improve medical conditions which are associated with obesity.1

Weight loss surgery works by increasing your sense of fullness after eating.2,3
Expected weight loss in one year is about 20 – 33% of your overall body weight.1

Your doctor may consider bariatric surgery if you have some of the following conditions:

Please consult with your doctor to see if bariatric surgery is right for you5

  • Able to understand the risks associated with the surgery
  • Committed to required lifestyle changes and follow-up care
  • BMI is greater than 40
  • OR BMI 30+ if there is an associated illness, e.g.type 2 diabetes or sleep
    apnoea, that may improve with weight loss
  • OR BMI 30+ with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes despite lifestyle
    and optimal medical therapy

Disclaimer:
Consult healthcare professional for weight management and get help in working out whats is suitable for you.

WHO IS HAVING BARIATRIC SURGERY?

Bariatric surgery in Australia 2018/19.6

13.8%

Of people having bariatric surgery also had pre-existing type 2 diabetes.6

21,043

The total number of bariatric procedures in Australia in 2018/19.6

70-130kg

Was the pre surgery weight of 56% of people before having weight loss surgery.6

COMMON WEIGHT LOSS OPERATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

Weight Loss surgery is now usually performed laparoscopically i.e. as ‘key-hole surgery’15. People having key-hole surgery have shorter time in hospital, fewer complications and less time to make a full recovery when compared to people having open surgery.7,16,17

The average length of stay in hospital for patients after bariatric surgery is between 1.9 and 2.8 days, depending on which procedure patients have done.8

HOW WELL DOES WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY WORK?

There are three main benefits to weight loss surgery:

  • Weight loss
  • Improvement in associated medical conditions
  • Improvement to your quality of life.

Studies have shown that surgery leads to the greatest and most sustained weight loss outcomes of all weight loss strategies.5,9

The average weight loss 3 years after surgery is 24%. By 5 years, the average weight loss is 19%.6

Amongst people with type 2 diabetes having bariatric surgery, 31-77% achieve normal blood sugar without diabetes medication and 80% maintain good glycaemic control with reduced or no medication.10

TREATMENT OPTIONS

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Expected weight loss in one year:

3.2%1

of your overall body weight

Learn more

WEIGHT LOSS
MEDICATION

Expected weight loss in one year:

2.9% – 6.0%13,15

of your overall body weight

Learn more

WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY

Expected weight loss in one year:

20% – 33%14

of your overall body weight

Learn more

SURGERY HAS BENEFITS BEYOND WEIGHT LOSS

Bariatric surgery has been linked to improvements in type 2 diabetes, including reduced blood sugar, reduced use of medications, and even resolution of the condition.

Other improvements that have been demonstrated include:1,10,11,12

  • Cardiovascular risk factors (stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol)
  • Kidney function
  • Respiratory diseases such as asthma and sleep apnoea
  • Reflux disease
  • Health-related quality of life

As with any surgery, your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of bariatric surgery with you to be sure you understand them.

ARE THERE RISKS WITH WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY?

Like any medical intervention, bariatric surgery has risks, including the risk of surgical failure, complications, even in rare cases, death.1,12

Of the more than 70,000 patients in Australia and New Zealand who have had surgery and for whom data has been collected (starting in 2012) 0.8% have had to have another operation to fix a problem and less than 1% have been re-admitted to hospital with a complication.6

In 2018-19, the rates of adverse events after the most common forms of primary surgery ranged from 1.6% (sleeve gastrectomy) to 6.3% (RYGB).6

Consult a your doctor to seek help in working out the right treatment option for you.

IS WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY AN OPTION FOR CONSIDERATION?

Bariatric surgery is not a quick fix, it requires long-term commitment to get the best possible outcomes. Some people will need to make substantial lifestyle changes prior to surgery (e.g. give up smoking). Most patients will need to use meal replacements for 2-4 weeks before surgery to increase the safety of the surgery.1

After surgery, healthy lifestyle regimens must be followed. Lifelong vitamin and mineral supplementation is necessary. Any psychological problems must be identified and treated.1

Given that obesity is a chronic and progressive disease, there is a high likelihood that some weight will eventually be regained. It is important to stay engaged with your health care team for the rest of your life so that this can be minimised.1

SPEAK TO YOUR GP

Find out if weight loss (bariatric) surgery is an option for you

NAVIGATION

UNDERSTANDING OBESITY

Discover the real science of obesity Understand the science

THE RISKS OF OBESITY

How obesity can impact you What are the risks?

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Science based treatments and outcomes What are the options?

REAL PEOPLE, REAL STORIES

Hear from those who have treated their obesity successfully See real stories

Here’s the science:

  1. NH&MRC (2013) Clinical practice guidelines for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, adolescents and children in Australia. Available at https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/clinical-practice-guidelines-management-overweight-and-obesity#block-views-block-file-attachments-content-block-1, accessed September 2019.
  2. Dimitriadis, G. K., Randeva, M. S., & Miras, A. D. (2017). Potential Hormone Mechanisms of Bariatric Surgery. Current obesity reports, 6(3), 253–265. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0276-5
  3. Batterham R.L., Cummings D.E. Mechanisms of diabetes improvement following bariatric/metabolic surgery, 2016 Diabetes Care, 39 (6), pp. 893-901.
  4. Pilitsi E, et al. Metab Clin Exp 2019; 92: 170–92.
  5. ANZOS. The Australian Obesity Management Algorithm. Available at http://anzos.com/australian-obesity-management-algorithm, accessed September 2019.
  6. Monash University. Bariatric Surgery Registry 2018–19 Report. Available at www.monash.edu/medicine/sphpm/registries/bariatric, accessed September 2019.
  7. Das B, Khan O. Int J Surg 2019; 68: 114–16.
  8. Ramos A, et al. The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders Fifth IFSO Global Registry Report 2019. Available at https://www.ifso.com/pdf/5th-ifso-global-registry-report-september-2019.pdf, accessed December 2019.
  9. Schwartz M, et al. Endocrine Rev 2017; 38: 267–96.
  10. Pérez-Pevida B, Escalada J, Miras AD and Frühbeck G (2019) Mechanisms Underlying Type 2 Diabetes Remission After Metabolic Surgery. Front. Endocrinol. 10:641. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00641
  11. De Luca M, et al. Obes Surg 2016; 26(8): 1659–96.
  12. Pareek M, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2018; 71(6): 670–87.
  13. Sjöström, L. Review of the key results from the Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) trial – a prospective controlled intervention study of bariatric surgery. J Intern Med. 2013 Mar; 273(3): 219–234. Published online 2013 Feb 8. doi: 10.1111/joim.12012
  14. Böckelman, C et al. Mortality Following Bariatric Surgery Compared to Other Common Operations in Finland During a 5-Year Period (2009–2013). A Nationwide Registry Study. 2017. OBES SURG (2017) 27:2444–2451
  15. AIHW National Hospital Morbidity Database Australian refined diagnosis-related groups (AR-DRG) data cubes. Version 8.0, 2017-18. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/hospitals/ar-drg-data-cubes/contents/data-cubes. Accessed December 2019.
  16. Banka G et al. Laparoscopic vs Open Gastric Bypass Surgery Differences in Patient Demographics, Safety, and Outcomes. Arch Surg. 2012;147(6):550-556.
  17. Reoch J et al. Safety of Laparoscopic vs Open Bariatric Surgery – A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Arch Surg. 2011; 146 (11):1314-1322.