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The offspring of parents undergoing a weight loss surgery: a systematic review
Caroline E Dickens1, Debra L Safer1, Cristin D Runfola1
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
Insights
Children of parents who had weight loss surgery (PWLS) show a higher risk of obesity. While some positive health outcomes are noted post-surgery, evidence quality is low, highlighting a need for more research.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Obesity
- Bariatric Surgery Outcomes
- Family Health
Background:
- Offspring of parents with obesity face increased genetic and environmental risks for developing obesity.
- Parents who have undergone weight loss surgery (PWLS) represent a unique subgroup whose children may be at particularly high risk.
- Limited research exists on the characteristics and health outcomes of offspring of PWLS.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and assess the quality of existing literature on the offspring of parents who have undergone weight loss surgery (PWLS).
- To investigate the risk factors and health outcomes associated with children of parents who have undergone bariatric surgery.
- To identify gaps in research concerning PWLS families and inform future support strategies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review including studies on offspring characteristics and parental feeding practices in PWLS families.
- Inclusion criteria focused on research specifically examining the offspring of parents post-weight loss surgery.
- Quality assessment of the included studies was performed.
Main Results:
- Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria.
- Evidence indicates a heightened risk of obesity among children of parents who have undergone weight loss surgery.
- These children may experience temporary positive health outcomes following their parents' bariatric surgery.
Conclusions:
- The quality of evidence regarding offspring of PWLS is currently low, mainly due to a lack of randomized controlled trials.
- There is a significant need for further research to understand and support families affected by parental bariatric surgery.
- Interventions targeting this vulnerable population are lacking and require development.
Abstract:
The offspring of parents with obesity are at an increased risk of developing this condition themselves because of genetic and environmental factors. One subgroup that may be at particularly high risk of developing obesity is the offspring of parents who have undergone weight loss surgery (PWLS). To date, little research has focused on these offspring or their parents. This systematic review addresses this gap by integrating available literature and assessing the quality of the evidence. To be included, studies were required to have researched characteristics of the offspring of PWLS or parental feeding practices within this population. After review, 12 studies met inclusion criteria. Findings include evidence for heightened risk of obesity among children of PWLS. However, research suggests these children may experience positive, although time-limited, health outcomes after their parents' surgeries. Quality of the evidence was rated as low, primarily because of the lack of randomized controlled studies and information regarding available interventions specifically targeting this vulnerable population. This review underscores the need for research to improve understanding of PWLS families to better support them and capitalize on postbariatric surgery benefits.
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