Metabolic Bariatric surgery in People with Obesity aged ≥65 Years

Obesity management guidelines recommend metabolic bariatric surgery for individuals with body mass index (BMI) ≥35 kg/m², regardless of the presence of any obesity-related comorbidity; and for individuals with BMI 30-34.9 kg/m² with metabolic diseases. Older age is not in itself a contraindication for bariatric surgeries, which can be performed after careful selection and assessment, to decrease the risks of postoperative complications. An essential amount of data has accumulated about bariatric surgery results for persons aged ≥60 years; but data are limited though increasingly accumulating for the ≥65-year-old population. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy have been the preferred bariatric procedures for older adults with obesity, as for younger patients. This review summarizes the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery for individuals aged ≥65 years with obesity, and the efforts that have been invested to improve the perioperative and long-term consequences.