Racial Disparities in Paediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: An Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) Analysis
Authors' conclusion
While MBS use is diversifying, disparities persist. Black and Hispanic youth face higher comorbidity burdens, indicating possible delayed access to surgery.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents aged 10–18 who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) between 2017 and 2023 (MBSAQIP); 71% female, 60% white, mean age 17.1 years
- Participants
- 4,940 adolescents
- Exposure
- Racial and ethnic groups of adolescents undergoing MBS
- Outcome
- Trends in representation by sex, race and ethnicity
- Follow-up
- 2017–2023
Methodological detailsregistry-based (MBSAQIP Participant Use Files), multivariable logistic regression
- Registry-based (MBSAQIP Participant Use Files)
- Multivariable logistic regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Female representation declined annually by approximately
- 1.1%
- Hispanic patients, share of cases
- 32%
- Hispanic patients, average yearly increase
- 1.1%
- Black patient representation, 2017 to 2023
- 14% to 24%
- Asian, American Indian and Pacific Islander patients, share of cases
- 1.5%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Preoperative characteristics and procedures by race/ethnicity
- Black patients were younger, had higher preoperative BMIs and more often comorbidities incl. diabetes and sleep apnoea
- Hispanic patients had higher rates of hypertension, hyperlipidemia and sleep apnoea than non-Hispanics
- Robotic procedures more common among Black patients; RYGB more frequent among white patients
Surgical outcomes
- Female patients, postoperative complications, aOR
- 1.54
- Female patients, emergency department (ED) visits, aOR
- 2.74
- Hispanic patients, ED visits, aOR
- 1.32
- Surgical outcomes were similar across racial groups
- Multivariable analysis
Original publication
Racial Disparities in Paediatric Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: An MBSAQIP Analysis. Pediatr Obes. Published 21 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →