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Low weight increases the risk of postoperative complications
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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People who are underweight are 40% more likely to die within the first month after surgery than overweight patients, a new study suggests.
The results suggest that a high body mass index (BMI) may be useful for predicting which patients are at greatest risk during recovery from surgery.
"Previous studies examining the role of BMI in surgery have been mixed," said study author George Stuckenborg of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
The researchers used data from 190,000 patients who underwent various surgeries at 183 hospitals between 2005 and 2006.
As you know, BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. According to the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 have normal weight, with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 - overweight, with a BMI of 30 and above - are obese.
To find the link between body weight and the risk of death, the scientists classified patients into five groups:
- people with a BMI less than 23.1;
- people with a BMI from 23.1 to 26.3;
- people with a BMI from 26.3 to 29.7;
- people with a BMI from 29.7 to 35.3;
- people with a BMI of 35.3 and above.
In a study of 2,245 patients, 1.7% of people died within 30 days after surgery.
"We found that patients in the first group had a 40% higher risk of death compared to those in the third group," Stuckenborg said.
The study's author, George Stuckenborg, said the reasons for this phenomenon are not yet known to scientists. The study did not track patients' previous weight loss, so it could be that people who weighed less were initially sicker before the surgery.
In any case, doctors should take BMI into account when planning surgical interventions.
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