Life Expectancy after Bariatric Surgery in the Swedish Obese Subjects Study

This study evaluated the long term effects of bariatric surgery on life expectancy in patients with obesity, using data from the prospective Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study. Over a median follow up of 24 years, 2007 patients who underwent bariatric surgery were compared with 2040 matched controls receiving usual obesity care and 1135 participants from a general population cohort. Results showed that bariatric surgery was associated with a 23% lower risk of death (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.68–0.87) and a 3 year longer median life expectancy compared to usual care. However, mortality in both groups remained higher than in the general population. The surgery group also exhibited reduced risks of death from cardiovascular disease (HR 0.70) and cancer (HR 0.77). Despite these benefits, life expectancy post surgery was still 5.5 years shorter than in the general population. The study highlights the significant survival benefits of bariatric surgery while underscoring persistent health disparities in patients with obesity.

This study evaluated the long term effects of bariatric surgery on life expectancy in patients with obesity, using data from the prospective Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study. Over a median follow up of 24 years, 2007 patients who underwent bariatric surgery were compared with 2040 matched controls receiving usual obesity care and 1135 participants from a general population cohort. Results showed that bariatric surgery was associated with a 23% lower risk of death (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.68–0.87) and a 3 year longer median life expectancy compared to usual care. However, mortality in both groups remained higher than in the general population. The surgery group also exhibited reduced risks of death from cardiovascular disease (HR 0.70) and cancer (HR 0.77). Despite these benefits, life expectancy post surgery was still 5.5 years shorter than in the general population. The study highlights the significant survival benefits of bariatric surgery while underscoring persistent health disparities in patients with obesity.