Obesity can affect your health as a teenager and into adulthood in a variety of ways. High blood pressure and high cholesterol brought on by obesity are risk factors for heart disease. Obesity is the major cause of type 2 diabetes as the body is more resistant to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar. Blood sugar becomes higher than normal when the body is resistant to insulin. Breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea are associated with obesity. Sleep apnea causes people to stop breathing while sleeping and leads to multiple awakenings during the night. As a result, some people experience excessive daytime sleepiness. Asthma risk increases with obesity. Your knees and hips experience stress due to excess weight resulting in osteoarthritis. The psychosocial effects of living with obesity can lead people to having low self-esteem.

What to Expect as an Adolescent Bariatric Surgery Patient

At the Denver Health Bariatric Surgery Center, our approach with adolescent bariatric surgery is patient- and family-centered. Our program is designed to offer a multidisciplinary care team, meaning adolescents and young adults will work with adolescent pediatricians with an expertise in obesity medicine, psychologists, nutritionists, pediatric and bariatric surgeons to ensure that you are prepared in every way for the surgery as well as the care after the procedure to ensure life-long success.

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