Obesity affects children and adults across all age groups. More than 30% of children and adolescents in the United States are currently overweight or obese, whereas the prevalence of obesity is as high as 21.4% in young children.This increase in prevalence is associated with significant short- and long-term health implications and necessitates effective interventions that induce significant weight loss and ameliorate associated conditions.~The results of weight loss surgery in children and adolescents are still scarce, despite recent studies suggesting favorable short- and intermediate-term outcomes that are comparable to those in adults. Although evidence continues to emerge, this solution is still denied to young children.~Bariatric surgery has proven safety and efficacy in inducing significant weight loss and co-morbidity resolution in children and adolescents. However, long-term evidence in this age group is yet to be reported. This project aims to study long-term weight loss, cardiovascular risk factors, growth and morbidity in severely obese children and adolescents (aged 5-21 years) who undergo laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).~This study aims to narrow the current evidence gap by studying the long-term effects of bariatric surgery in children and adolescents with severe obesity.
This project aims to assess the short- and long-term safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery in children and adolescents compared to adults.