Adolescent Bariatric Surgery - UCLA FIT Program

UCLA pediatric surgeons are committed to the treatment of morbidly obese adolescents. In a unique partnership with the Department of Pediatrics and the UCLA Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program, Mattel Children's Hospital is able to provide multidisciplinary treatment of obese adolescents through the UCLA Fit for Healthy Weight Program.

We are currently involved in a clinical trial - "Bariatric Surgery Outcomes" - to prospectively evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery on body composition, bone density, cytokine expression, gene expression, and epigenome of reproductive-age women undergoing bariatric surgery. In addition, the division has received basic-science research grants from the American Society of Metabolic Bariatric Surgery and the Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center.

As weight-loss surgery is only a tool to aid adolescents achieve a healthy weight, all patients must undergo multidisciplinary evaluation by the UCLA Fit Program to assess candidacy for bariatric surgery.

For additional information, please visit the UCLA Fit Program website.