Trends in bariatric surgery, 2002-2012: do changes parallel the obesity trend?

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Surgical Outcomes
• Public Health Trends

Background:

• Bariatric surgery is an effective weight loss intervention with increasing procedure rates.
• A plateau in bariatric procedure rates occurred in the mid to late 2000s.
• Current trends and associations between bariatric surgery and population factors like obesity and diabetes require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine trends in statewide bariatric operations, obesity, and diabetes rates over an 11-year period (2002-2012).
• To assess associations between bariatric surgery rates and population factors such as obesity and diabetes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Database (SID) for bariatric procedures (2002-2012).
• Incorporated state-level population data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and Census Bureau.
• Performed statistical analyses to determine rates and associations over the 11-year period.

Main Results:

• Bariatric procedure rates increased from 2002-2012, with a notable rise in laparoscopic methods, peaking in 2009 before plateauing.
• Statewide obesity and diabetes rates consistently increased during the study period.
• No significant association was found between population obesity/diabetes rates and bariatric surgery rates; women showed higher operation rates.

Conclusions:

• Bariatric procedures are evidence-based obesity treatments, yet their rates did not align with rising national obesity and diabetes trends.
• Further research is essential to identify barriers and facilitators influencing the adoption and diffusion of bariatric operations.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for improving the quality of care and health outcomes through wider adoption of beneficial surgical innovations.