Teens get gastric bypass and lose bone mass
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by Aimee Keenan-Greene
Adolescents who undergo gastric bypass surgery lose significant bone mass as part of initial weight loss.
The new information is the result of a retrospective case review of 61 adolescents after bariatric surgery.
Researchers looked at whole-body bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) by measuring dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry, and age- and gender-specific BMD z scores.
The new study appears in the current issue of Pediatrics.
Measurements were obtained when possible before surgery and then every 3 to months after surgery for up to 2 years.
Researchers in Ohio analyzed data using a mixed-models approach, and regression model adjusted for age, gender, and height.
Scientists found whole-body BMC, BMD z score, and weight decreased significantly after surgery (P < .0001 for all).
During the first 12 months after surgery, change in weight was correlated with change in BMC (r = 0.31; P = .02).
Weight loss accounted for 14 percent of the decrease in BMC in the first year after surgery.
In the first 2 years after surgery, predicted values on the basis of regression modeling for BMC decreased by 7.4 percent, and BMD z score decreased from 1.5 to 0.1.
Gastric bypass reduces the size of the stomach by well over 90 percent.
Researchers say they need to follow teens longer to determine whether bone mass continues to change or stabilizes over time.
According to Lifespan in Rhode Island, adults with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 but less than 30 are overweight. Adults with a BMI greater than 30 are obese. Anyone more than 100 pounds overweight or with a BMI greater than 40 is considered morbidly obese.
The percentage of overweight children has doubled in the last 20 years, while the percentage of adolescents who are obese has tripled, says Lifespan.
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