Short-Term Weight Gain after Tonsillectomy Does Not Lead to Overweight: A Systematic Review

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 16; no. 2; p. 324
• Main Authors: Buono, Pietro, Maines, Evelina, Azzolini, Nicolò, Franceschi, Roberto, Ludovica, Fedi, Leonardi, Letizia, Occhiati, Luisa, Mozzillo, Enza, Maffeis, Claudio, Marigliano, Marco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22.01.2024; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Airway management; Analysis; Body composition; Body Mass Index; Child; children; Clinical trials; compensatory growth; Cross-sectional studies; diet; Growth factors; Humans; Infections; Metabolism; Obesity; Observational studies; Overweight; Population; risk factors; Sleep apnea; Standard scores; surgery; Systematic Review; Teenagers; Thinness; Throat surgery; Tonsillectomy; Tonsillectomy - adverse effects; underweight; Weight Gain; overweight; tonsillectomy; weight gain
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu16020324

Different studies and systematic reviews have reported weight increase after tonsillectomy. However, the odds of a child being overweight or obese after tonsillectomy were no different than before surgery, according to a few studies. This systematic review aims to analyze the impact of adenotonsillectomy (TA) on weight gain and identify subgroups of children and adolescents at risk of experiencing weight gain. A systematic search included studies published in the last ten years. The PICO framework was used in the selection process, and evidence was assessed using the GRADE system. A total of 26 studies were included, and moderate–high level quality ones showed that children who underwent TA could present an increase in BMI z-score. However, this weight gain was significant in individuals younger than six years old and was considered catch-up growth in underweight subjects at baseline. In contrast, for normal-weight or overweight individuals, TA did not lead to overweight per se. At the same time, diet changes and overfeeding did not have a leading role in weight gain. In conclusion, TA may not be an independent risk factor for unfavorable weight gain in children; however, individuals who were underweight pre-operatively or younger than six years reported more weight gain after TA than expected.