Preparing Adolescents for Bariatric Surgery: Foundational Elements Applying Erikson's Theory of Human Development

Obesity prevention is a national initiative with the attention of First Lady Michelle Obama and is being addressed on many levels with a multifactorial approach. However, many children and adolescents are beyond the benefit of prevention efforts and need treatment. Bariatric surgery in the adolescent population is a broadly debated topic that generates valuable discussion about the management of childhood obesity. This article seeks to describe the unique and pertinent developmental aspects of preparation and support given to obese adolescents and their families, and to present the experience at the University of Illinois Medical Center Adolescent Weight Management Program in Chicago, Illinois. There is a lack of scientific evidence in the current literature addressing what factors influence an adolescent's success with weight loss surgery, or clinical practice guidelines that outline recommendations for preparation of adolescents for bariatric surgery. It is the hope that reporting this experience will s...