Key result
Metabolic and bariatric surgery linked to a ~26-fold higher suicide incidence versus the general population.
Why the study?
What is the incidence of suicide following metabolic and bariatric surgery in people with obesity compared to the general population?
What is the incidence of suicide following metabolic and bariatric surgery in people with obesity compared to the general population?
Patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery have a substantially higher incidence of suicide compared to the general population, highlighting the critical need for structured perioperative psychological screening.
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Warrants routine perioperative mental health screening; confirms elevated post-bariatric suicide risk and prioritizes targeted prevention trials.
The average suicide incidence (231 per 100,000 people) in people with obesity who underwent MBS significantly exceeded the 2019 WHO global estimate for the general population (nine per 100,000 people). These findings underscore the need to incorporate structured psychological screening and follow-up into the perioperative management process of MBS, as patient mental health may play a pivotal role in postoperative adherence and long-term outcomes.
Shang et al. (2026) studied this question. Metabolic and bariatric surgery patients had an average suicide incidence of 231 per 100,000 people, significantly exceeding the global general population estimate of 9 per 100,000 people.
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