Should bariatric surgery be offered to prisoners?

The United States has seen a significant increase in the number of incarcerated individuals, increasing from 250,000 to 6.6 million prisoners over the last three decades(1). Given the obesity epidemic in the United States, it is not surprising that significant numbers of these prisoners are obese and suffer from obesity related co-morbidities. While the overall prevalence of obesity among prisoners is lower than the general population, inmates frequently gain excessive weight while incarcerated, with rates of obesity as high as 75% upon release from prison(2).
Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Controversies in Bariatric Surgery Source Type: research