Does Race Play a Role in Weight Loss from Gastric Bypass Surgery?

Race may play a determinant factor in how much weight patients can lose after undergoing a gastric bypass procedure. A recent study published in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases found that non-Hispanic white patients who underwent gastric bypass typically lost more weight over a three-year period than Hispanic or black patients.

The study specifically examined two types of bariatric surgery, and concluded that patients who underwent the more common procedure lost more weight over the same period than those who underwent the more recently developed vertical sleeve gastrectomy procedure.

"Studies have shown that bariatric surgery is associated with sustainable weight loss for patients with extreme obesity, but there is very little research to show how these procedures affect persons of different races and ethnicities, especially in the long term," said study lead author Karen J. Coleman, PhD, of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research & Evaluation, in a news release. "To address the current gaps in the knowledge about bariatric surgery, we created a registry of patients who underwent surgery to monitor quality and safety outcomes and assist clinicians who are caring for these patients after their surgery."

Throughout the three-year study period, findings following gastric bypass surgery showed that non-Hispanic white patients lost an average of 63 percent of their excess weight, while Hispanic counterparts lost around 59 percent. On the other hand, black patients lost a bit less at around 56 percent.

Overall, researchers noted that bypass patients lost an average of 59 percent of excess weight (or 81.5 pounds) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients lost about 46 percent (or 57.6 pounds) on average, at the end of the three-year follow up.

"Even though some patients may not lose as much weight as others, the weight regain rate at three years is still very low for all patients, regardless of their racial or ethnic background. This supports the success of bariatric surgery for weight control in persons who have extreme obesity," Coleman added. "We believe our study provides an opportunity for health care providers to potentially develop more culturally sensitive post-surgical programs to improve success rates for populations struggling with weight loss."