title: Bariatric surgery and intellectual disability: Furthering evidence-based practice.
abstract: Rates of morbid obesity are higher for individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Individuals with ID may find nutritional guidelines difficult to follow and many face personal and environmental barriers for physical activity. Bariatric surgery may reduce obesity related health comorbidities while promoting sustained weight loss in diverse populations. Yet no study has reviewed the feasibility of conducting bariatric surgery on individuals with ID.
  
  
  
  To conduct a scoping review of literature on bariatric procedures performed on individuals with ID.
  
  
  
  Authors searched electronic database via PubMED, Science Direct, Wiley and Medline (1975-2014). Extracted articles were evaluated independently following scoping reviews guidelines.
  
  
  
  Reviewers included sixteen studies. Nine surgical interventions were reported on 49 patients with ID. Studies followed either case report or case series design. The most common procedure patients received was biliopancreatic diversion (n = 24) followed by Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (n = 12). Degree of weight loss was the primary outcome in each study. Excess weight loss (%EWL) ranged from 12% to 86%. Further benefits included improved quality of life, decreased psychological tension within family and resolution of sleep apnea, hypertension, respiratory distress and type II diabetes. Six studies included a post-operative follow-up period below two years.
  
  
  
  Bariatric surgery may be a viable option to treat obesity in individuals with ID but there is no consensus which procedure is preferred and which associated interventions should be in place to warrant long lasting results. Further research featuring randomized control trials may be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Kinetics, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gibbons
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Kinetics, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada. Electronic address: acasey@stfx.ca.
authors.forename: Amanda Faith
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.affiliation: Director of Patient Services, Okanagan Bariatric Surgical Centre, British Columbia, Canada; School of Health and Exercise Science, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Keith Z
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Brewster
mesh_terms: D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D015390:Gastric Bypass; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D018579:Patient Selection
keywords: Obesity; Prader-Willi syndrome; Scoping review; Weight loss