R. Tran1, F. Moreno-Garcia1, K. Mihalsky2, F. Mier-Giraud2, L. E. Fischer2 1University Of Oklahoma College Of Medicine, Oklahoma City, OK, USA 2University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Department Of Surgery, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Introduction:
The demand for bariatric surgery continues to rise as the rate of obesity reaches epidemic proportions. Although bariatric surgery is able to induce significant and sustainable weight loss, improve quality of life, and resolve various cardiometabolic diseases, socioeconomic factors often limit access to obesity treatment. The importance of these socioeconomic factors on bariatric surgery outcomes remains unclear. For this reason, our study aimed to investigate the relationship between economic status and bariatric surgery outcomes.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective, single center observational study of adult patients who underwent bariatric surgery from June 2017 to October 2021 at the University of Oklahoma. Clinical and demographic data were abstracted, including weight, BMI, and percent excess body weight loss (%EBWL). Average household income was estimated based on patients’ ZIP code using data from the US Census Bureau from the American Community Survey 2021 5-year estimates. The primary outcome measure was %EBWL at 1-year.
Results:
137 patients with 1-year follow-up were included in this analysis. Average annual household income was $85,414±$27,686 [range $31,795 – $227,647]. 44% underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 53% vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and 3% revision bariatric surgery. Baseline BMI was 47.2±8.2 kg/m2. Average %EBWL 1-year post-bariatric surgery was 74.6% ± 25.3. Baseline BMI was negatively associated with average household income (P=0.033), however no relationship was seen between average household income and %EBWL (P=0.365).
Conclusion:
Access to bariatric surgery should not be limited based on income, as the results of our study suggest that socioeconomic status (SES) does not correlate with weight loss outcomes at 1-year. However, our data does show that lower annual income is correlated with BMI, suggesting that these patients may derive even more benefit from comprehensive obesity treatment. Given that patients of lower SES often suffer from a higher burden of obesity-related diseases, it is imperative that we continue to advocate for equitable access to care.
