Bariatric surgery was not significantly associated with decreased mortality in a study of mostly male VA patients in the Journal of the American Medical Association, according to a news release by the U.S. Air Force.
The study compared mortality rates for 850 obese veterans who had received bariatric surgery from 2000-2006 with more than 41,000 obese veterans who had not received it. The study also compared mortality rates for 847 obese veterans who had received bariatric surgery and 847 obese veterans who had not received it. Patients were followed for almost seven years.
Despite the findings, researchers said they are not suggesting that the VA stop using bariatric surgery because it can be useful for certain patients.
Read the U.S. Air Force release on bariatric surgery.
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