I have often wondered about long term studies that show longevity rates between people who choose to do WLS versus those who do not. I have not actually seen these studies, but I did find a few interesting articles on the ASMBS website.... I cut and pasted a portion of one below and put in a link to it. Interesting. What I can't tell from the summary is if it was a comparison of people over a certain BMI or what.... but at least its an indication.

That same area of the ASMBS website has several good sensible, easy to follow articles on weight loss surgery - the various types, myths etc.

http://asmbs.org/patients/benefits-of-bariatric-surgery

Improved Longevity

Several large population studies find that individuals affected by severe obesity who have had bariatric surgery have a lower risk of death than individuals affected by obesity who do not have surgery. One of these studies found up to an 89 percent greater reduction in mortality throughout a 5-year observation period for individuals who had bariatric surgery when compared to those who did not. Another large population study comparing mortality rates of bariatric and non-bariatric patients found a greater than 90 percent reduction in death associated with diabetes and a greater than 50 percent reduction in death from heart disease.

The mortality rate for bariatric surgery (3 out of 1000) is similar to that of a gallbladder removal and considerably less than that of a hip replacement. The exceptionally low mortality rate with bariatric surgery is quite remarkable considering that most patients affected by severe obesity are in poor health and have one or more life-threatening diseases at the time of their surgery. Therefore, as regards mortality, the benefits of surgery far exceed the risks.

Here is my bariatric study:

My brother died of a heart attack at age 47, when he weighed 420 pounds.

My mother died at age 67 (just three years older than I am now) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm when she weigh 320 pounds at 5'2" tall. Her mother, who was not overweight died at the age of 98, and she would have lived longer if she had not broken her hip and gotten pneumonia.

Other grandparents, aunts, and uncles who were not overweight lived well into their mid-eighties and early nineties.

Many of my 60 first cousins have already died of overweight-related health issues in their late forties to early sixties.

My older sister weighed about 300 pounds when she graduated high school in 1968 and gained another 100 pounds after that. She got a gastric bypass 15 years ago and is still doing well at age 67 (the age Mother died).

I had the sleeve at age 62 because I just do not want to be done yet. I have grandchildren that I want to see grow up.

One of my younger sisters who weighed close to 400 pounds got a band three years ago. She lost enough weight to get to a size 12, got a tummy tuck, breast lift and all that - and looks awesome! She is healthier and happier than she has ever been.

So, my family is my example for life-span. I know I have greatly increased my odds for a longer life with good quality of life.

Miss Mac I too come from a large family. Some of us have weight issues but many do not- I'm one of the lucky ones to fall in to the obese part of the family. We must have excellent genes as most of my family has lived in to their 80s and 90s. I'm 43 and looking forward to having bypass surgery later this year.

@@Miss Mac I lost a 40 year old Super Morbidly Obese niece and a 64 sister in law - both died instantly of heart failure way before their time. They were both very high BMI.

I have just been very curious about results across large populations and this is the first time I have seen these types of studies mentioned.

In my family too the obese folks have died much younger then the thinner more active ones. My father at 54, my aunt at 57, my uncle at 32, the list goes on and on and they were all obese and it led to all the usual issues, diabetes, heart failure etc.

My fingers are itching to send this to my uncle... I made a post about this before with him being 69 years old and about 400 pounds. I am so worried about him dying before his time but his paranoid daughter talked him out of it because she's afraid he'll die on the operating table.

I know it's not my place but the evidence is so strong. Surely the surgery carries less risks than the weight that's crushing his organs.

In the next month or so I'm going to invite him out to lunch. I want him to see me after I've shed a good 50 pounds. I just had another fill and this one is really working great - only ate a half cup of food for dinner last night! This weight is going to melt right off my muscles, bones, and organs - and I'm feeling so good. I want him to see that. Hopefully a bright light will shine from above and guide him back to the bariatric center.

Here's an observation I use for motivation...how many fat, old people do you know? There aren't many!

Here's an observation I use for motivation...how many fat, old people do you know? There aren't many!

I hear that a lot but think it is a little bit of a fallacy. Especially the "how many fat old people do you see in nursing homes".

The problem with this is that some (many?) fat people do lose weight at the end of life due to illness, malnutrition, etc.

I would qualify this as how many fat old people do you see who have a good quality of life.?