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released: 19 Nov 2010 author: AIHW media release

This report shows that there was a substantial increase in weight loss surgery in Australia, from approximately 500 separations in 1998-99 to 17,000 in 2007-08. In 2007-08, 90% of separations for weight loss surgery were in private hospitals, with private health insurance funding 82% of separations. In 2007-08, the estimated cost of hospital care for weight loss surgery was $108 million-approximately $15.2 million in benefits was paid through the Medicare Benefits Schedule for weight loss surgery-related procedures.

ISBN 978-1-74249-070-0; Cat. no. HSE 91; 60pp.; $25.00

printed copy

Full publication

Publication table of contents

  • Preliminary material
    • Title and verso pages
    • Foreword
    • Contents
    • Abbreviations
    • Acknowledgments
    • Summary 
      • Weight loss surgery
      • Costs
  • Body section
    1. Introduction
      • 1.1 Context of the report
      • 1.2 Structure of the report
    2. Overweight and obesity in Australia
      • 2.1 Prevalence
        • Age and sex-specific rates
        • Trends in overweight and obesity
        • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
        • Remoteness area of residence
        • Socioeconomic status
        • Extreme obesity
        • International comparisons
      • 2.2 The burden of excess body weight
    3. General practice management of overweight and obesity
      • 3.1 The BEACH survey
      • 3.2 Prevalence of overweight and obesity among GP encounters
        • Adults
        • Children
      • 3.3 Patient weight loss methods
      • 3.4 GP management of overweight and obesity
    4. Weight loss surgery in Australia
      • 4.1 Overview
        • Principal diagnoses
        • Same-day and overnight separations
        • Patient days and average length of stay
        • Funding source
        • Age and sex profile
        • Area of usual residence
        • Socioeconomic status
      • 4.2 Adverse events
        • Adverse events as a reason for admission
      • 4.3 Mode of separation
      • 4.4 Estimated cost of weight loss surgery
        • Cost of hospital care
  • End matter
    • Appendix 1: Technical notes
      • Definitions
      • Data presentation
      • Suppressions of data
      • Conventions used in this report
    • Glossary
    • References
    • List of tables
    • List of figures 

Recommended citation

AIHW 2010. Weight loss surgery in Australia. Cat. no. HSE 91. Canberra: AIHW.