Over 120,000 overweight Americans underwent some kind of operation to help them shed the pounds in 2004—with the highest rise among the middle-aged—according to a new study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The study showed that in 1998, 772 Americans between the age of 55 and 64 had either gastric bypass, bariatric surgery, or a stomach stapling procedure to aid them in weight loss. That relatively small number soared to 15,086 in 2004.

“Among the reasons for the extremely dramatic increases is that the mortality outcomes from obesity surgery have improved greatly,” the agency stated. “The national death rate for patients hospitalized for bariatric surgery declined 78 percent, from 0.9 percent in 1998 to 0.2 percent in 2004.

Younger Patients Undergo Surgery

According to the agency director Dr. Carolyn Clancy, the report found that “more Americans are turning to obesity surgery and that an increasing number of younger people are undergoing these procedures.”

In 2004, 103,000 of the operations were performed on patients aged 18 to 54, and 349 surgeries were on very young patients between 12 and 17.

“As the rate of obesity continues to climb, the health care system needs to be prepared for continued escalation in the rate of this surgery and its potential complications,” Clancy said.

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