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Cost and Future of Bariatric Surgery

Edward H. Livingston, MD; Aaron S. Fink, MD

Arch Surg. 2003;138:383-388.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

INTRODUCTION

Obesity is increasing in epidemic proportions internationally.¹ Health care costs for the treatment of obesity and its complications have also increased. Recent estimates are that $70 billion or 9.4% of all health care costs are attributable to treating obesity and obesity-related complications.^2-3 As the population's weight has become heavier,^4-6 the prevalence of morbid obesity has dramatically increased.⁷ Morbid obesity is associated with significant medical complications such as sleep apnea, hypertension, osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus, and other degenerative conditions.^8-18 Although these disorders respond to weight loss, individuals who have morbid obesity rarely achieve long-term weight loss with dietary interventions.¹⁹ Bariatric surgery remains the only method that culminates in sustained weight loss with subsequent control of obesity-related complications.²⁰ Bariatric surgery effectively treats obesity-induced diabetes mellitus,^21-22 hypertension,^23-26 hyperlipidemia.^27-32 osteoarthritis, pulmonary hypertension,³³ and sleep apnea.^34-36 The effects of obesity on health and, similarly, the effectiveness of bariatric . . . [Full Text of this Article]

QUALITY OF LIFE

MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS

Medical Outcomes Study SF-36

Nottingham Health Profile

OBESITY-SPECIFIC QOL INTRUMENTS

Impact of Weight on QOL

Lewin–Technology Assessment Group (TAG)

Obesity-Specific QOL

Obesity-Related Well-being Scale

Obesity Adjustment Survey–Short Form

BARIATRIC SURGERY AND QOL

From the Departments of Surgery, Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Health Care System, Los Angeles, Calif (Dr Livingston), and Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Emory University, Atlanta, Ga (Dr Fink). Dr Livingston is now with the Department of Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.

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