• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

SAGES

Reimagining surgical care for a healthier world

  • Home
    • Search
    • SAGES Home
    • SAGES Foundation Home
  • About
    • Who is SAGES?
    • SAGES Mission Statement
    • Advocacy
    • Strategic Plan, 2020-2023
    • Committees
      • Request to Join a SAGES Committee
      • SAGES Board of Governors
      • Officers and Representatives of the Society
      • Committee Chairs and Co-Chairs
      • Full Committee Rosters
      • SAGES Past Presidents
    • Donate to the SAGES Foundation
    • SAGES Store
    • Awards
      • George Berci Award
      • Pioneer in Surgical Endoscopy
      • Excellence In Clinical Care
      • International Ambassador
      • IRCAD Visiting Fellowship
      • Social Justice and Health Equity
      • Excellence in Community Surgery
      • Distinguished Service
      • Early Career Researcher
      • Researcher in Training
      • Jeff Ponsky Master Educator
      • Excellence in Medical Leadership
      • Barbara Berci Memorial Award
      • Brandeis Scholarship
      • Advocacy Summit
      • RAFT Annual Meeting Abstract Contest and Awards
    • “Unofficial” Logo Products
  • Meetings
    • NBT Innovation Weekend
    • SAGES Annual Meeting
      • 2024 Scientific Session Call For Abstracts
      • 2024 Emerging Technology Call For Abstracts
    • CME Claim Form
    • Industry
      • Advertising Opportunities
      • Exhibit Opportunities
      • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Future Meetings
    • Related Meetings Calendar
  • Join SAGES!
    • Membership Benefits
    • Membership Applications
      • Active Membership
      • Affiliate Membership
      • Associate Active Membership
      • Candidate Membership
      • International Membership
      • Medical Student Membership
    • Member News
      • Member Spotlight
      • Give the Gift of SAGES Membership
  • Patients
    • Healthy Sooner – Patient Information for Minimally Invasive Surgery
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • Choosing Wisely – An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation
    • All in the Recovery: Colorectal Cancer Alliance
    • Find a SAGES Member
  • Publications
    • SAGES Stories Podcast
    • SAGES Clinical / Practice / Training Guidelines, Statements, and Standards of Practice
    • Patient Information Brochures
    • TAVAC – Technology and Value Assessments
    • Surgical Endoscopy and Other Journal Information
    • SAGES Manuals
    • SCOPE – The SAGES Newsletter
    • COVID-19 Annoucements
    • Troubleshooting Guides
  • Education
    • Wellness Resources – You Are Not Alone
    • OpiVoid.org
    • SAGES.TV Video Library
    • Safe Cholecystectomy Program
      • Safe Cholecystectomy Didactic Modules
    • Masters Program
      • SAGES Facebook Program Collaboratives
      • Acute Care Surgery
      • Bariatric
      • Biliary
      • Colorectal
      • Flexible Endoscopy (upper or lower)
      • Foregut
      • Hernia
      • Robotics
    • Educational Opportunities
    • HPB/Solid Organ Program
    • Courses for Residents
      • Advanced Courses
      • Basic Courses
    • Fellows Career Development Course
    • Robotics Fellows Course
    • MIS Fellows Course
    • Facebook Livestreams
    • Free Webinars For Residents
    • SMART Enhanced Recovery Program
    • SAGES OR SAFETY Video
    • SAGES Top 21 MIS Procedures
    • SAGES Pearls
    • SAGES Flexible Endoscopy 101
    • SAGES Tips & Tricks of the Top 21
  • Opportunities
    • NEW-Area of Concentrated Training Seal (ACT)-Advanced Flexible Endoscopy
    • SAGES Fellowship Certification for Advanced GI MIS and Comprehensive Flexible Endoscopy
    • Multi-Society Foregut Fellowship Certification
    • SAGES Research Opportunities
    • Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery
    • Fundamentals of Endoscopic Surgery
    • Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy
    • Job Board
    • SAGES Go Global: Global Affairs and Humanitarian Efforts
  • Search
    • Search All SAGES Content
    • Search SAGES Guidelines
    • Search the Video Library
    • Search the Image Library
    • Search the Abstracts Archive
  • OWLS
  • Log In

Truth in Bariatric Surgery Advertising Among Academic and Non-academic Centers

J. Aaron Barnes1, Sarah E Billmeier, MD, MPH2, Gina L Adrales, MD, MPH2. 1Geisel School of Medicine, 2Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

Introduction: Numerous advertisements for obesity treatments target a potentially vulnerable population. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the content of direct-to-patient consumer advertising by bariatric surgery programs.

Methods: Internet sites containing patient information regarding bariatric surgery were collected through a comprehensive internet search using terms associated with weight loss and weight loss surgery. Inclusion criteria included sources published by hospitals or practices offering bariatric surgery. Open forums, blogs, video interviews or news-related sites were excluded. Sources were assessed for accuracy of information and completeness of content provided along four areas: resolution of diabetes or hypertension, weight loss, and risk of complications for laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), gastric bypass (RYGB), and longitudinal sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) for both academic and non-academic bariatric surgery programs. Comparison of reporting by academic (AC) or non-academic centers (NAC) was performed by Fisher's exact test. 

Results: A total of 65 sites including 21 academic centers were identified. 62 sites (29% academic) advertised for LAGB with 27.4% claiming diabetes resolution or cure (including 16.7% of AC's and 31.8% of NAC's) and 22.5% of LAGB sites claiming resolution of hypertension (16.7% of AC's and 25.0% of NAC's). 62.9% of LAGB sites reported excess weight loss with ranges of 40-80% among AC's and 21-90% among NAC's. Of 52 RYGB sites,44.2% reported diabetes resolution (44.4% AC, 44.1%NAC), 40.4% listed hypertension resolution (27.8% AC, 47.1% NAC) and 75% reported weight-loss (72.2% AC, 27.0% NAC) ranging from 33-85% among AC's and 50-100% excess weight loss among NAC's. Of 53 LSG sites, 24.5% reported diabetes resolution (18.6% AC, 27.0% NAC), 26.4% reported hypertension resolution (8.6% AC, 29.7% NAC), and 50.9% reported weight loss (37.5% AC, 56.8% NAC) ranging 33-85% among AC's and 30-85% among NAC's. No risks were reported by 30.6% LAGB, 26.9% RYGB, and 45.3% LSG sites. Fewer sites quantified risk (22.3% LAGB, 17.3% RYGB, 5.7% LSG). There were no significant differences in reporting rates by academic versus non-academic programs.

Conclusions: There was consistency in effectiveness reporting among academic and nonacademic bariatric programs. Balanced patient information was not uniformly presented with a number of sites failing to report any risks. In an era when patients increasingly rely on the internet for health information, bariatric surgery programs should re-evaluate the content of their digital patient information.

79

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • WhatsApp
  • Reddit

Related

Hours & Info

11300 West Olympic Blvd, Suite 600
Los Angeles, CA 90064
1-310-437-0544
[email protected]
Monday - Friday
8am to 5pm Pacific Time

Find Us Around the Web!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Important Links

SAGES 2024 Meeting Information

Healthy Sooner: Patient Information

SAGES Guidelines, Statements, & Standards of Practice

SAGES Manuals

 

  • taTME Study Info
  • Foundation
  • SAGES.TV
  • MyCME
  • Educational Activities

Copyright © 2023 Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons