Opting for weight-loss surgery at lower BMIs may be best for patients’ health, study suggests

The struggle to escape obesity is sending more and more Americans to the surgeon’s office. Most patients are hoping that bariatric surgery will change their metabolism, help them lose pounds and cut their risk of weight-related health issues.

But a new study shows only one in three patients who have the operation succeed in reducing their body-mass index below 30, the cutoff for obesity, in the first year.

The findings, published in JAMA Surgery by a team from the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Henry Ford Health System, could help surgical teams counsel prospective patients about realistic expectations and the best timing for surgery.

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