Black Americans undergoing weight-loss surgery are experiencing significantly more minor complications than their White counterparts, according to new research presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery’s annual meeting. The study, led by Dr. Safraz Hamid of Yale University, analyzed data from over 1.1 million patients who had either laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass between 2016 and 2023.
Each year, Black patients showed higher rates of Clavien-Dindo category 1 complications, rising from 10.2 percent in 2016 to 15.0 percent in 2023, compared to 7.6 to 12.1 percent among White patients. While more severe complications (CD2 through CD5) did not show consistent racial differences, other indicators of post-surgical strain did.
Readmission rates were consistently higher for Black patients, starting at 5.2 percent in 2016 and dropping to 3.7 percent in 2023, compared to 3.5 and 2.8 percent for White patients. Emergency department visits also rose for both groups, but remained significantly higher among Black patients—11.0 percent in 2023 versus 8.3 percent for White patients.
Dr. Hamid expressed concern over the persistent disparities and the upward trend in minor complications. “We were surprised the minor complication rate increased year after year and that racial disparities persisted,” he said. “More work is needed to identify what’s causing the uptick and how it can be reversed.”
See: “Minor Complications Up for Black Patients After Weight-Loss Surgery” (June 27, 2025)
