Early Onset of Obesity and Adult Onset of Obesity as Factors Affecting Patient Characteristics Prior to Bariatric Surgery

BackgroundPatients who are slated for bariatric surgery vary in terms of their age at onset of obesity, duration of obesity, and their health complications. Therefore, we aimed to explore a relationship between the age at onset of obesity, metabolic parameters, and health problems in bariatric surgery candidates.MethodsA total of 469 unrelated adults with obesity prior to bariatric surgery were included in this study. The study group consisted of 246 individuals who became obese <20years of age, and 223 individuals who became obese 20years. Clinical, biochemical, anthropometric assessments, and DXA-derived measures were taken.ResultsPatients with early onset of obesity had a higher total body fat mass, and higher body fat percentage, and a 1.84 times higher risk of BMI above 40kg/m(2) than patients with adult onset of obesity (20years). Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that, among bariatric surgery candidates with early onset of obesity, the frequency of hypertension and type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that in cases with an adult onset of obesity, despite a longer duration of obesity and higher BMI.ConclusionsThe age at which an individual reaches obesity has a significant impact on patient characteristics on the day he or she is evaluated for bariatric surgery. A younger age at obesity onset is a predicting factor for a higher BMI in patients, but they are less likely to clinically manifest well-established consequences of obesity, such as diabetes or hypertension, compared to patients with adult onset of obesity.