title: Bariatric surgery interest around the world: what Google Trends can teach us.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bariatric surgery may prove an effective weight loss option for those struggling with severe obesity, but it is difficult to determine levels of interest in such procedures at the population level through traditional approaches. Analysis of Google Trend information may give providers and healthcare systems useful information regarding Internet users' interest in bariatric procedures. The objective of this study was to gather Google Trend information on worldwide Internet searches for "bariatric surgery", "gastric bypass", "gastric sleeve", "gastric plication", and "lap band" from 2004-2012 and to explore temporal relationships with relevant media events, economic variations, and policy modifications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected using Google Trends. Trend analyses were performed using Microsoft Excel Version 14.3.5 and Minitab V.16.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Trend analyses showed that total search volume for the term "bariatric surgery" has declined roughly 25% since January 2004, although interest increased approximately 5% from 2011 to 2012. Interest in lap band procedures declined 30% over the past 5 years, while "gastric sleeve" has increased 15%. Spikes in search numbers show an association with events such as changing policy and insurance guidelines and media coverage for bariatric procedures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report illustrates that variations in Internet search volume for terms related to bariatric surgery are multifactorial in origin. Although it is impossible to ascertain if reported Internet search volume is based on interest in potentially undergoing bariatric surgery or simply general interest, this analysis reveals that search volume appears to mirror real world events. Therefore, Google Trends could be a way to supplement understanding about interest in bariatric procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: faina.linkov@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Faina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Linkov
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Dana H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bovbjerg
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Kyle E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Freese
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramanathan
authors.affiliation: Division of General Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Physicians, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: George Michel
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Eid
authors.affiliation: Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gourash
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000639:trends*; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Bariatric surgery interest; Google Trends; Internet; Prevention