Adolescent bariatric surgery-a survey of referring practitioners

Recent guidelines, supported by large, well-designed studies, suggest that bariatric surgery is a safe and effective treatment for adolescents living with severe obesity to improve health and psychosocial functioning. The aim of this study was to assess the opinions and referral practices of general practitioners (GPs) and paediatricians in Ireland.

A cross-sectional survey was circulated online to practising paediatricians and GPs. The survey consisted of a short introduction about childhood obesity and 12 questions on adolescent bariatric surgery and obesity medications.

There were 45 unique responses to the survey from 22 GPs (48%), 8 paediatricians (17%), and 15 others. Most GPs (72%) would not consider referring an adolescent for bariatric surgery. Paediatricians were significantly more likely to refer (72% vs. 28%, p = 0.034). A minimum BMI of 40 kg/m² was the most common response, which GPs (45%) and paediatricians (37.5%) suggested should be a pre-requisite for surgery. There was strong support for family psychological assessment and a reported deficit in the community support needed to manage obesity. GPs were more likely than paediatricians to respond that anti-obesity medications should be made available to adolescents, specifically liraglutide (45% vs. 25%), semaglutide (45% vs. 37.5%), and orlistat (22% vs. 0%).

There is a reluctance among GPs to refer adolescents with severe obesity for consideration of bariatric surgery. Concerns regarding the different obesity treatments held by medical professionals should be addressed through education and engagement and should be fundamental to the development of child and adolescent obesity services.