National Trends in the Use of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Among Pediatric Patients With Severe Obesity

ObesitySevere pediatric obesity (class II or higher; body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] ≥120% above the 95th percentile or ≥35) is a national public health crisis affecting more than 4.5 million children and adolescents in the United States.The prevalence of severe pediatric obesity has increased from 4.0% in 2000 to 6.0% in 2016. 1 For children and adolescents with this disease, metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is effective in achiev ing long-term weight loss and resolution of comorbidities.2,3 We sought to define contemporary trends in the use of MBS among US children, adolescents, and young adults with severe obesity.