One of the first studies to define and examine the perceptions ‘bariatric families’ towards obesity has reported that there are significant differences between the perceptions of those parents and children – in a ‘bariatric family’ - toward themselves, their health and the preferred mode of obesity treatment, compared to non-bariatric families, according to researchers from Dana Dwek Children’s Hospital and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Researchers from Europe have initiated the first randomised controlled trial that will compare sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in adolescents with severe obesity. The TEEN-BEST trial is designed to determine whether SG is non-inferior to RYGB in terms of total body weight (TBW) loss.

An international team of bariatric and metabolic surgery (B&M) experts has published a series of protocols designed to assist B&M surgeons and Allied Healthcare Professionals when restarting elective B&M surgery following the outbreak of COVID-19, based on experts’ opinions, reviews of small series and publications from previous different viral epidemic outbreaks.

Type 2 diabetes can be reversed in more than 60% of participants through dietary change, physical activity and behaviour change, and without medication or bariatric surgery, according to a team of researchers from Qatar. These were the conclusions from the DIADEM-I clinical trial, thought to be the first intensive lifestyle intervention trial in the Middle East and North Africa region and is the country’s first clinical trial in primary care.

Obesity is associated with a higher risk of dementia up to 15 years later, according to a study by researchers from University College London, London, UK, suggesting that weight management could play a significant role in reducing the risk of dementia. These findings have significant implications for dementia prevention and overall public health.

The FDA has approved the expansion of a US- pilot study of the USGI Medical’s non-invasive, endoscopic procedure, known as POSE2.0. The study is designed to evaluate weight loss for adults suffering from obesity with a BMI35-40 and obesity-related comorbidities, such as diabetes or hypertension. The FDA approval, based on the promising results obtained so far from the first stage of the study, means the pilot study will be expanded to four US institutions and 35 US subjects.

Gelesis, who recently received European approval for its PLENITY weight loss treatment, has entered into a partnership with China Medical System Holdings Limited (CMS) for the commercialisation of Plenity in China. The partnership will build on Gelesis’ commitment to providing patient-initiated care for adults with overweight and obesity that augments traditional healthcare provider services with digital access to care.

Bariatric surgery may decrease overall cancer risk in women, but not men, within the first five years after surgery, and according to the study’s researchers the decrease may be explained by a decreased risk of breast and endometrial cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma in women.

ReShape Lifesciences has entered into a partnership with inHealth Lifestyle Therapeutics (formerly inHealth Medical Services), a Lifestyle Therapeutics company, to launch the ReShapeCare virtual health coaching programme in June 2020. The service is tailored for patients having treatment for their obesity, those who may have lost continuity of care and patients pursuing weight loss surgery and medically supervised weight loss programmes.

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) has declared metabolic and bariatric surgery "medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity" and called for the safe and rapid resumption of procedures, which have been largely postponed along with other surgeries deemed elective amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, are working on mathematical models that show the human metabolism for each person. The DigiTwin research project, led by Natal van Riel, aims to build a digital copy of individual patients to predict the success and to determine the necessary aftercare of a treatment such as gastric bypass surgery in patients with obesity.

The Intellectual Property Office has granted Benmor Medical patent no. EP3315107 on the Aurum+ Bariatric Bed, entitled: ‘Barrier for a Bed’ in the UK and Europe. This decision adds to the company’s patent portfolio for the features on its innovative Deprimo Floor Level Bed.

Novo Nordisk has announced the headline results from two clinical trials with a novel once-weekly subcutaneous amylin analogue (AM833), a phase 2 monotherapy trial and a phase 1 combination trial of AM833 and once-weekly subcutaneous semaglutide 2.4mg.

From 13-14 June 2020, the First International Conference “Controversies in bariatric surgery” (CIBS 2020) was held in St Petersburg, Russia, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in an innovative online format, organised by the Society of Bariatric Surgeons of Russia, with the support of IFSO, together with the company Uniclinic.

Gelesis, a biotechnology company developing a novel hydrogel platform technology to treat obesity and other chronic diseases related to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, has received approval to market Plenity, a novel weight loss treatment, in Europe. Gelesis received a Conformité Européenne (CE) mark for Plenity as a class III medical device indicated for weight loss in overweight and obese adults with a BMI25-40, when used in conjunction with diet and exercise.

Researchers from Iran performing laparoscopic mini-gastric bypass/one anastomosis gastric bypass (MGB/OAGB) have reported that 180cm intestinal bypassed length works for patients with a BMI40–45 and 45–50 with significant decreases in weight and BMI, and improvements in glycolipid profiles.

One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB-MGB) has a less steep learning curve compared to Roux-en Y gastric bypass (RYGB), according to researchers Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan. The study also reported that the proficiency acquired can be transferred to subsequent practice for RYGB in terms of acceptable operation time and length of stay without an increase in complications.

A study investigating the prevalence and analysing the role of fascia closure in the development of trocar hernias has reported that trocar site hernias are an underestimated complication of minimally invasive, multi-portal bariatric surgery, and the prevalence of asymptomatic hernias is probably higher than initially expected. The study also found that fascia closure did not protect against trocar hernias.

If a child is infected with the new coronavirus, having obesity appears to greatly raise the odds for developing a severe form of COVID-19, according to a report was based on 50 cases of paediatric COVID-19 severe enough to require admission to a New York City hospital.

Routine post-sleeve gastrectomy gastrografin (RSG) to detect post- laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) complications, especially leaks, is needless and unnecessarily increases the overall costs as it makes no difference in detecting leaks, according to researchers from Saudi Arabia.