An increasing number of American children and teens are resorting to weight-loss surgeries to combat severe obesity. However, a recent study has revealed that these surgeries may have detrimental effects on their bone density and strength at a time when young people should be focusing on building optimal bone mass.
Researchers conducted a two-year prospective trial involving 54 participants aged an average of 18 years. Among the participants, 25 underwent sleeve gastrectomy, and 29 didn’t undergo surgery but received dietary and exercise counseling (pdf).
Young adults and teenagers who had the surgery and experienced substantial weight loss displayed weaker bone structure compared to their counterparts who had similar levels of obesity but did not undergo surgery, according to the results….