Adolescent Bariatric Program
When nutritional and physical activity programs do not help adolescents or young adults lose weight, bariatric surgery may be recommended. Bariatric surgery is major surgery and requires significant care before and after the procedure to address the medical, psychosocial and emotional needs of the teen or young adult.
The Adolescent Bariatric Program is a unique collaboration of staff from the Healthy Weight Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Adolescents interested in bariatric surgery will be evaluated by the team at CHOP, and if surgery is recommended it will take place at HUP.
Meet your team
Every person on your child’s team has the same goal: to give your child the best possible care. Nutritional physicians and bariatric staff work with nurse practitioners, dietitians and others to provide patients with care.
Adolescent Bariatric Program resources
We have resources to help you learn more about bariatric surgery, as well as support groups to help ease any anxiety before or after surgery.
Eligibility for bariatric surgery
To be eligible for bariatric surgery, the patient must:
- Be age 15-20 at time of surgery (patients will be followed until age 22)
- Be done growing
- Have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, or greater than 35 if they also have medical complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea or liver disease
- Have a documented history of weight management and weight loss attempts with supervised diets and exercise programs
- Have no indication of active drug addiction, alcoholism or untreated major psychiatric disorder
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