It is estimated that 13.7 million US paediatric patients have obesity and 6% have severe obesity. These conditions can decrease life expectancy by 2 to 20 years. Evidence suggests that metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the most effective and durable treatment for severe obesity and complications of obesity in both adults and adolescents.  However MBS remains underutilized with prior estimates suggesting that less than 1% of eligible paediatric patients undergo MBS. 

In this study, authors Sarah Ogle, Julie Ressalam, Christine Baugh, Eric Campbell, Megan Kelsey and Thomas Inge describe the demographic, medical comorbidity and insurance status of eligible, referred and receivers of MBS at a freestanding academic children's hospital with dedicated weight management and MBS programmes as an initial exploration of extent that referral acts as a barrier to MBS. Secondly, they explored predictors that may influence referral for MBS.  Read article>>