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Updated: May 30, 2026
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Published on: May 30, 2025
Reporting results after bariatric surgery: reproducibility of predicted body mass index
Wilson Salgado Júnior1, Camila Scalassara Campos, Carla Barbosa Nonino
1Department of Surgery and Anatomy, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, R Antônio Chiericato, 760, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14096 510, Brazil. wsalgado@fmrp.usp.br
Background:
There is a controversy about the best way to report results after bariatric surgery. Several indices have been proposed over the years such as percentage of total weight loss (%TWL), percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL), and percentage of excess body mass index loss (%EBMIL). More recently, it has been suggested to individualize the body mass index (BMI) goal to be achieved by the patients (predicted BMI-PBMI). The objective was to assess the reproducibility of this PBMI in our service.
Methods:
In this retrospective study, we assessed the %TWL, %EWL, %EBMIL (with expected BMI of 25 kg/m2), and %EBMIL (with PBMI) over 4 years of observation in two groups of patients: BMI <50 kg/m2 and BMI ≥50 kg/m2.
Results:
The medical records of 403 patients were studied. From 18 to 42 months after surgery, %TWL was higher in the superobese group, whereas %EWL was similar for the two groups. %EBMIL was higher in less obese patients up to 24 months and similar thereafter. In contrast, %EBMIL with PBMI was greater in the superobese group, although it never reached the 100% goal.
Conclusions:
We conclude that %EBMIL results according to PBMI were not reproducible in our institution. There is a need to elaborate a new easy-to-obtain and reproducible index.
