title: Effect of ethnicity on weight loss after bariatric surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have reported better weight loss after bariatric surgery among non-Hispanic whites (NHW) versus non-Hispanic blacks (NHB) and Hispanics. The majority of these studies took place in areas where NHW are the majority. This study aimed to compare post-surgery weight outcomes by ethnicity in a geographic area where Hispanics are the majority.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective medical chart review of 3268 patients (1561 Hispanic, 660 NHB, and 1047 NHW) who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or Adjustable Gastric Band (AGB) placement from 2002 to 2012 were analyzed. Percentages of excess weight loss (EWL) and body mass index (BMI) changes at 6, 12, and 24 months post-surgery were compared by ethnic group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months, EWL was significantly different by ethnicity (52.7 ± 15.9 Hispanics, 49.7 ± 15.7 NHW, 43.0 ± 17.3 NHB, P < 0.001). These differences remained at 1 year (66.0 ± 20.3 Hispanics, 64.0 ± 20.3 NHW, 54.1 ± 21.3 NHB, P < 0.001) and 2 years (68.6 ± 24.1 Hispanics, 69.5 ± 21.2 NHW, 57.6 ± 25.4 NHB, P < 0.001). Ethnic group changes in BMI were similar to EWL changes. Analysis stratified by gender, type of surgery, and BMI category (<40, 40-49.99, ≥50 kg/m(2)) showed lower EWL in NHB than Hispanics and NHW. NHW had higher EWL than Hispanics only when they underwent AGB and had a BMI >40 kg/m(2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Up to 2 years after RYGB, mean EWL and BMI reduction patterns are similar among NHW and Hispanics and significantly better than NHB. These patterns were comparable but not as pronounced among patients with AGB surgery. Our findings suggest that social factors may contribute to successful weight loss after bariatric surgery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laparoendoscopic and Bariatric Surgery, The DeWitt Daughtry Family Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 3650 NW 82nd Avenue, Suite 302, Miami, FL, 33166, USA, zkhorgami@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: Zhamak
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khorgami
authors.forename: Kristopher L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Arheart
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Messiah
authors.forename: Nestor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de la Cruz-Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000208:ethnology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000208:ethnology*; D044465:White People