Background: Conflicting evidence exists regarding age as a predictive factor in excess weight loss after bariatric surgery. The objective of this cross-sectional study is to evaluate differences in excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) 1 year after surgery in patients older and younger than 45 years.
Methods: Adult obese patients fulfilling selection criteria underwent either Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy and were grouped according to age < and ≥45 years with follow-up at least 1 year. Both groups were compared in terms of excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) and other clinical outcomes. Possible relationship between %EBMIL, age, surgical technique, and presence of comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension (HT), and dyslipidemia (DL) was searched.
Results: Three hundred thirty-seven patients (72.5 % female), 196 (50.1 %) younger than 45 years and 141 (49.9 %) with age ≥45 years. There was significant difference between age group and %EBMIL 12 months after surgery (p < 0.001), showing better results in younger patients. No differences were found in terms of gender, preoperative body mass index (BMI), surgical technique, nor presence of DL. Using multiple regression, we found significant interaction effect between age group (p < 0.001), presence of HT (p = 0.001), and %EBMIL at follow-up.
Conclusions: Patients younger than 45 years lose greater amount of excess BMI than older patients after bariatric surgery. This tendency might be useful as a preoperative weight loss predictor in bariatric patients.