Number All 397 Women 323 (81%) Men 74 (19%) Age(years) 39,1 (17-74) 38,9 (17-74) 40,5 (18-61) Maximum known weight(kg) 145,4 (92,0-292,0) 138,9 (92,0-202,0) 174,1 (126,0-292,0) Body mass index (kg/m 2 ) 50,2 (38,3-85,3) 49,5 (38,3-77,0) 52,9 (40,1-85,3) Preoperative weight loss (kg) 11,9 (0,0-62,0) 11,1 (0,0-46,0) 15,2 (0,0-62,0) Preoperative age and weight parameters by gender of the 397 individuals available for follow up. Numbers (percentage) and means(range) are given.

Table IVa Early complications ( 30 days postoperatively) All laparoscopic cases N=424 First 100 cases Last 100 cases All cases (N=424) Reoperation Intestinal leak 6 (6,0%) 0 (0,0%) 10 (2,4%) 10 (2,4%) Hemorrhage (intra- or extraluminal) 5 (5,0%) 3 (3,0%) 13 (3,1%) 4 (0,9%) Abominal wall hernia 0 (0,0%) 0 (0,0%) 1 (0,2%) 1 (0,2%) Urinary tract infection 2 (2,0%) 0 (0,0%) 3 (0,7%) 0 (0,0%) Pneumonia 1 (1,0%) 0 (0,0%) 2 (0,5%) 0 (0,0%) Deep venous thrombosis 0 (0,0%) 0 (0,0%) 1 (0,2%) 0 (0,0%) Pulmonary embolism 1 (1,0%) 0 (0,0%) 1 (0,2%) 0 (0,0%) Total 15 (15,0%) 3 (3,0%) 31 (7,3%) 15 (3,5%) Table IVb Late serious complications (>30 days post operatively) >2 year follow-up, N=206 Total (N=206) Women (N=167) Men (N=39) Reoperation Intestinal obstruction 5 (2,4%) 4 (2,4%) 1 (2,6%) 5 (2,4%) Ulcer 35 (17,0%) 30 (18,0%) 5 (12,8%) 10 (4,9%)

Total Women Men Number 397 323 74 diagnosis treated diagnosis treated diagnosis treated Joint and/or 309 (78%) 145 (37%) 259 (80%) 119 (37%) 50 (68%) 26 (35%) back pain* Depressive 174 (44%) 146 (37%) 148 (46%) 123 (38%) 26 (35%) 23 (31%) disorder Elevated 136 (34%) 112 (28%) 101 (31%) 80 (25%) 35 (47%) 32 (43%) blood pressure Asthma 62 (16%) 49 (12%) 53 (16%) 42 (13%) 9 (12%) 7 (9%) Sleep apnoe 93 (23%) 67 (17%) 54 (17%) 35 (11%) 39 (53%) 32 (43%) Gastroesophageal 85 (21%) 62 (16%) 70 (22%) 53 (16%) 15 (20%) 9 (12%) reflux disorder Diabetes 79 (20%) 46 (12%) 63 (20%) 32 (10%) 16 (22%) 14 (19%) Cardiovascul 37 (9%) 32 (8%) 23 (7%) 20 (6%) 14 (19%) 12 (16%) ar disorders Elevated blood lipids 25 (6%) 18 (5%) 21 (7%) 14 (4%) 4 (5%) 4 (5%) Number (percentage within group) of significant co-morbidities in the 397 individuals available for follow-up. Diagnosis denotes those formally diagnosed or considered very likely to have a disease at operation. Treated counts those receiving regular medication or therapy. * Treated means in this case those taking pain medication and/or NSAID regularly

Table III Followup > 2 ár Very good result EBMIL>80% Unsatisfacory result EBMIL<50% Relapse Satisfactory result without relapse Women 166 110 (66,3%) 6 (3,6%) 10 (6,0%) 150 (90,4%) Men 40 16 (40,0%) 4 (10,0%) 5 (12,5%) 31 (77,5%) Total 206 126 (61,2%) 10 (4,9%) 15 (7,3%) 181 (87,9%) Main results in those with more than 2 year follow-up. Numbers (percentage within group) are given. EBMIL: Loss of body mass index (Excess BMI Loss ) in excess of 25 kg/m 2 Relapse: Regained weight in excess of 50% EBMIL after satisfactory weight loss.

Months from operation Extra weight loss (%)