Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Obesity Surgery
Published in: Obesity Surgery 3/2017

01-03-2017 | Original Contributions

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Occupational Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery

Authors: Alistair J. Sharples, Chandra V. N. Cheruvu

Published in: Obesity Surgery | Issue 3/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Introduction

Obesity has been linked with reduced productivity in the workplace and is associated with higher levels of unemployment and absenteeism. Studies have shown improvement in functioning and enhanced activity levels in patients after bariatric surgery.

Objectives

We perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to assess the impact of bariatric surgery on occupational outcomes.

Methods

Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and NHS Evidence were searched for English language studies assessing factors related to employment both preoperatively and postoperatively.

Results

The initial search produced 189 results. Ten studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Meta-analysis did not suggest a significant improvement in overall employment rates after surgery (RR 1.058, p = 0.155). However, pooled analysis of studies analysing unemployed patients separately demonstrates that 26.4 % (95 % CI 21.6–31.5 %) of unemployed patients are able to return to work after bariatric surgery. Pooled analysis on two studies suggests that those undergoing surgery are 3.24 (p = 0.01) times more likely to return to work than non-surgical controls. Three studies demonstrated significant reductions in the mean number of annual sick days.

Conclusions

There is limited evidence in the literature regarding occupational outcomes following bariatric surgery, and further studies are required before firm conclusions can be drawn. However, the existing evidence does suggest that bariatric surgery has a generally positive impact on occupational outcomes. This suggests that surgery may have wider economic, social and psychological benefits above and beyond its immediate health benefits.
Literature
1.
Stevens GA, Singh GM, Lu Y, Danaei G, Lin JK, Finucane MM, et al. National, regional, and global trends in adult overweight and obesity prevalences. Popul Health Metr. 2012;10(1):22–38.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
2.
Finucane MM, Stevens GA, Cowan MJ, Danaei G, Lin JK, Paciorek CJ, et al. National, regional, and global trends in body-mass index since 1980: systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 960 country-years and 9.1 million participants. Lancet. 2011;377(9765):557–67.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
3.
Swinburn BA, Sacks G, Hall KD, McPherson K, Finegood DT, Moodie ML, et al. The global obesity pandemic: shaped by global drivers and local environments. Lancet. 2011;378(9793):804–14.CrossRefPubMed
4.
WHO. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of a WHO consultation. World Health Organ Tech Rep Ser. 2000:1–253.
5.
Rivenes AC, Harvey SB, Mykletun A. The relationship between abdominal fat, obesity, and common mental disorders: results from the HUNT study. J Psychosom Res. 2009;66(4):269–75.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Schmier JK, Jones ML, Halpern MT. Cost of obesity in the workplace. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2006;32(1):5–11.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Harvey SB, Glozier N, Carlton O, Mykletun A, Henderson M, Hotopf M, et al. Obesity and sickness absence: results from the CHAP study. Occup Med (Lond). 2010;60(5):362–8.CrossRef
8.
9.
Neovius K, Johansson K, Kark M, Neovius M. Obesity status and sick leave: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2009;10(1):17–27.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Martella D, Maass A. Unemployment and life satisfaction: the moderating role of time structure and collectivism. J Appl Soc Psychology. 2000;30(5):1095–108.CrossRef
11.
Mathers CD, Schofield DJ. The health consequences of unemployment: the evidence. Med J Aust. 1998;168(4):178–82.PubMed
12.
Gallie D, Russell H. Unemployment and life satisfaction: a cross-cultural comparison. Eur J Sociology. 1998;39:248–80.CrossRef
13.
Jones GL, Sutton A. Quality of life in obese postmenopausal women. Menopause Int. 2008;14(1):26–32.PubMed
14.
15.
Tsiros MD, Olds T, Buckley JD, Grimshaw P, Brennan L, Walkley J, et al. Health-related quality of life in obese children and adolescents. Int J Obes. 2009;33(4):387–400.CrossRef
16.
Klarenbach S, Padwal R, Chuck A, Jacobs P. Population-based analysis of obesity and workforce participation. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14(5):920–7.CrossRef
17.
Jusot F, Khlat M, Rochereau T, Serme C. Job loss from poor health, smoking and obesity: a national prospective survey in France. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2008;62(4):332–7.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
18.
Akil L, Ahmad HA. Effects of socioeconomic factors on obesity rates in four southern states and Colorado. Ethn Dis. 2011;21(1):58–62.PubMedPubMedCentral
19.
Laitinen J, Power C, Ek E, Sovio U, Jarvelin MR. Unemployment and obesity among young adults in a northern Finland 1966 birth cohort. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2002;26(10):1329–38.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Sjostrom L, Lindroos AK, Peltonen M, Torgerson J, Bouchard C, Carlsson B, et al. Lifestyle, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors 10 years after bariatric surgery. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(26):2683–93.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Sovik TT, Aasheim ET, Taha O, Engstrom M, Fagerland MW, Bjorkman S, et al. Weight loss, cardiovascular risk factors, and quality of life after gastric bypass and duodenal switch: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155(5):281–91.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Aftab H, Risstad H, Sovik TT, Bernklev T, Hewitt S, Kristinsson JA, et al. Five-year outcome after gastric bypass for morbid obesity in a Norwegian cohort. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2014;10(1):71–8.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Kanoupakis E, Michaloudis D, Fraidakis O, Parthenakis F, Vardas P, Melissas J. Left ventricular function and cardiopulmonary performance following surgical treatment of morbid obesity. Obes Surg. 2001;11(5):552–8.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Sarkhosh K, Switzer NJ, El-Hadi M, Birch DW, Shi X, Karmali S. The impact of bariatric surgery on obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review. Obes Surg. 2013;23(3):414–23.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Karlsson J, Sjostrom L, Sullivan M. Swedish obese subjects (SOS)—an intervention study of obesity. Two-year follow-up of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and eating behavior after gastric surgery for severe obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998;22(2):113–26.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Burgmer R, Petersen I, Burgmer M, de Zwaan M, Wolf AM, Herpertz S. Psychological outcome two years after restrictive bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2007;17(6):785–91.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Vargas CB, Picolli F, Dani C, Padoin AV, Mottin CC. Functioning of obese individuals in pre- and postoperative periods of bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2013;23(10):1590–5.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Steele T, Cuthbertson DJ, Wilding JP. Impact of bariatric surgery on physical functioning in obese adults. Obes Rev. 2015;16(3):248–58.CrossRefPubMed
29.
Ewing BT, Thompson MA, Wachtel MS, Frezza EE. A cost-benefit analysis of bariatric surgery on the South Plains region of Texas. Obes Surg. 2011;21(5):644–9.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Durand-Moreau Q, Gautier A, Becouarn G, Topart P, Rodien P, Salle A. Employment and professional outcomes in 803 patients undergoing bariatric surgery in a French reference center for obesity. Int J Occup Environ Med. 2015;6(2):95–103.PubMed
31.
Hawkins SC, Osborne A, Finlay IG, Alagaratnam S, Edmond JR, Welbourn R. Paid work increases and state benefit claims decrease after bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2007;17(4):434–7.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Andersen JR, Hernaes UJ, Hufthammer KO, Vage V. Employment status and sick-leave following obesity surgery: a five-year prospective cohort study. PeerJ. 2015;3:e1285.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
33.
Velcu LM, Adolphine R, Mourelo R, Cottam DR, Angus LD. Weight loss, quality of life and employment status after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: 5-year analysis. Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2005;1(4):413–6.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, PRISMA Group. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Int J Surg. 2010;8(5):336–41.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Angrisani L, Santonicola A, Iovino P, Formisano G, Buchwald H, Scopinaro N. Bariatric surgery worldwide 2013. Obes Surg. 2015;25(10):1822–32.CrossRefPubMed
36.
37.
Hanvold SE, Loken EB, Paus SF, de Brisis ER, Bjerkan K, Refsum H, et al. Great health benefits but no change in employment or psychopharmaceutical drug use 2 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Obes Surg. 2015;25(9):1672–9.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Mathus-Vliegen EM, de Weerd S, de Wit LT. Health-related quality-of-life in patients with morbid obesity after gastric banding for surgically induced weight loss. Surgery. 2004;135(5):489–97.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Sockalingam S, Wnuk S, Kantarovich K, Meaney C, Okrainec A, Hawa R, et al. Employment outcomes one year after bariatric surgery: the role of patient and psychosocial factors. Obes Surg. 2015;25(3):514–22.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Turchiano M, Saunders JK, Fernandez G, Navie L, Labrador L, Parikh M. Bariatric surgery may improve employment status in unemployed, underserved, severely obese patients. Obes Surg. 2014;24(5):692–5.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Wagner AJ, JM Jr F, RC T. Return to work after gastric bypass in Medicaid-funded morbidly obese patients. Arch Surg. 2007;142(10):935–40.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Lam RW, Michalak EE, Yatham LN. A new clinical rating scale for work absence and productivity: validation in patients with major depressive disorder. BMC Psychiatry. 2009;9:78.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
43.
Harkonen J, Rasanen P, Nasi M. Obesity, unemployment, and earnings. Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. 2011;1(2):23–38.CrossRef
44.
Morris S. The impact of obesity on employment. Lab Econ. 2007;14(3):413–33.CrossRef
45.
Paraponaris A, Saliba B, Ventelou B. Obesity, weight status and employability: empirical evidence from a French national survey. Econ Hum Biol. 2005;3(2):241–58.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Caliendo M, Lee WS. Fat chance! Obesity and the transition from unemployment to employment. Econ Hum Biol. 2013;11(2):121–33.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Wikman A, Wiberg M, Marklund S, Alexanderson K. Activities and sources of income after a period of long-term sick leave—a population-based prospective cohort study. BMC Public Health. 2012;12:745.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
48.
Flach PA, Groothoff JW, Bultmann U. Identifying employees at risk for job loss during sick leave. Disabil Rehabil. 2013;35(21):1835–41.CrossRefPubMed
49.
Dooley D. Unemployment, underemployment, and mental health: conceptualizing employment status as a continuum. Am J Community Psychol. 2003;32(1–2):9–20.CrossRefPubMed
50.
Dooley D, Catalano R. Introduction to underemployment and its social costs. Am J Community Psychol. 2003;32(1–2):1–7.CrossRefPubMed
51.
Dooley D, Prause J, Ham-Rowbottom KA. Underemployment and depression: longitudinal relationships. J Health Soc Behav. 2000;41(4):421–36.CrossRefPubMed
52.
Terranova L, Busetto L, Vestri A, Zappa MA. Bariatric surgery: cost-effectiveness and budget impact. Obes Surg. 2012;22(4):646–53.CrossRefPubMed
53.
Sussenbach SP, Padoin AV, Silva EN, Benzano D, Pufal MA, Barhouch AS, et al. Economic benefits of bariatric surgery. Obes Surg. 2012;22(2):266–70.CrossRefPubMed
54.
Sampalis JS, Liberman M, Auger S, Christou NV. The impact of weight reduction surgery on health-care costs in morbidly obese patients. Obes Surg. 2004;14(7):939–47.CrossRefPubMed
55.
Warren JA, Ewing JA, Hale AL, Blackhurst DW, Bour ES, Scott JD. Cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery: increasing the economic viability of the most effective treatment for type II diabetes mellitus. Am Surg. 2015;81(8):807–11.PubMed
56.
Cremieux PY, Buchwald H, Shikora SA, Ghosh A, Yang HE, Buessing M. A study on the economic impact of bariatric surgery. Am J Manag Care. 2008;14(9):589–96.PubMed
57.
Morgan E, Dent M. The economic burden of obesity. Oxford: National Obesity Observatory, 2010.
58.
Russell H, O'Connel PJ. Getting a job in Europe: the transition from unemployment to work among young people in nine European countries. Work, Employment and Society. 2001; 151–24.
Metadata
Title
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Occupational Outcomes after Bariatric Surgery
Authors
Alistair J. Sharples
Chandra V. N. Cheruvu
Publication date
01-03-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Obesity Surgery / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 0960-8923
Electronic ISSN: 1708-0428
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-016-2367-x

Other articles of this Issue 3/2017

Obesity Surgery 3/2017 Go to the issue

Original Contributions

Spending on Bariatric Surgery in the Unified Health System from 2010 to 2014: a Study Based on the Specialist Hospitals Authorized by the Ministry of Health

Original Contributions

Primary Inadequate Weight Loss After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Is not Associated with Poor Cardiovascular or Metabolic Outcomes: Experience from a Single Institution

Original Contributions

Five-Year-Results of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy with Duodenojejunal Bypass for Weight Loss and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Original Contributions

Enhanced Recovery after Bariatric Surgery in the Severely Obese, Morbidly Obese, Super-Morbidly Obese and Super-Super Morbidly Obese Using Evidence-Based Clinical Pathways: a Comparative Study

Original Contributions

The Impact of Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS) Over 9 Years

Original Contributions

Influence of New Modified Biliopancreatic Diversion on Blood Glucose and Lipids in GK rats