Introduction
Bariatric surgery is an extremely effective intervention to achieve weight loss in higher grades of obesity. This is the first prospective study assessing body fat reduction after bariatric surgery among Sri Lankans, to the best of our knowledge.
Objective
We aimed to assess the BFP reduction in obese Sri Lankan patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Methods
We followed up 50 obese patients who underwent bariatric surgery at Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Sri Lanka for 1 year. Body fat percentage was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Percentage body weight loss (%BWL) and Percentage body fat loss (%BFL) were calculated as body weight loss /pre-operative body weight and body fat loss/pre-operative body fat respectively.
Results
Overall 90.0% were females. Mean age was 38.7 (±9.9) years. Mean pre-operative body weight, body mass index were 109.7 (±19.0) kg and 45.5 (±7.0) kg/m2 respectively. Body weight loss verses body fat loss (±SD) at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months were 8.7 (±3.9) vs 5.5 (±4.8) kg, 16.5 (±5.0) vs 11.0 (±6.0) kg, 22.9 (±5.4) vs 15.2 (±6.1) kg, 27.4 (±7.3) vs 18.6 (±5.0) kg and 29.6 (±8.9) vs 21.7 (7.3) kg. Mean %BWL verses %BFL at the above follow up periods were 7.8 (±2.7) % vs 10.7 (±7.1) %, 15.1 (±2.5) % vs 21.2 (±6.8) %, 21.5 (±3.2) % vs 30.4 (±7.0) %, 25.7 (±4.7) % vs 37.2 (±6.6) % and 28.0 (±6.0) vs 40.6 (±9.5) % respectively.
Conclusions
Bariatric surgery achieved early and impressive weight loss in Sri Lankan obese patients, with %BWL and %BFL progressively increasing to approximately 30% and 40% at 1 year respectively. Overall, %BFL was 35-45% higher than %BWL at all follow up time intervals. Bariatric surgery appears to be very effective in body fat reduction among obese Sri Lankans.