A new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery has found that weight loss surgery is more successful when done with a family member.
The researchers followed 91 patients from 41 families who had gastric bypass surgery with a family member (husband and wife, parent and child, brothers and sisters, cousins, grandparents and grandchildren, in-laws, aunts or uncles and nephews or nieces) and compared them to a control group of individual patients of similar body mass index (BMI), age and gender.
Patient outcomes showed that both the amount of excess weight loss and rate of resolution or improvement of obesity-related diseases were greater when two people from the same family had surgery together than when individuals undergo surgery alone.
Among the findings, at one year after surgery:
- Family members lost an average of 30% more of their excess weight than patients who had surgery by themselves (77% vs 60%)
- When the family members were siblings the amount of excess weight loss was even more significant, an average of 40% greater than patients who had surgery by themselves (86% vs 60%)
- Type 2 diabetes resolved in 65% of family members vs 31% of control group
- Hypertension resolved in 60% of family members vs 33% of control group
- Sleep apnea resolved in 70% of family members vs 23% of control group
- GERD resolved in 63% of family members vs 41% of control group
Gus J Slotman, MD, clinical professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the lead author of the study said that the family dynamic and even a little sibling rivalry can play an important role in patient success. The family can act as a support system for patients as they adjust to a new lifestyle and dietary requirements following weight loss surgery.
The better overall results may be explained by the greater adherence to follow-up care by family members than the control group over time.
- At six months after surgery, 89% of family members and 81% of the control group were keeping their appointments with their doctor.
- At one year after surgery, only 58% of the control group were keeping their appointments compared to 83% of family members.
Family support to participate in follow-up care may affect weight loss and disease resolution by helping patients better comply with post-surgery dietary requirements and remain motivated to comply with lifestyle changes after weight loss surgery.
