The Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS), formerly the Bariatric Surgery Clinical Research Consortium, is a collaboration of six clinical centers and a data coordinating center working in cooperation with NIH scientific staff to plan, develop, and conduct coordinated clinical, epidemiological, and behavioral research in the field of bariatric surgery through the development of common clinical protocols and a bariatric surgery database. The Consortium will also provide the preliminary data and background for further investigator-initiated research. Goals of LABS include a greater understanding of the risks and benefits of bariatric surgery as a treatment modality; the standardization of definitions and data collection instruments to enhance the ability to provide meaningful evidence-based recommendations for patient evaluation, selection, and follow-up care; basic and clinical studies to explore the mechanisms by which surgery affects obesity-related co-morbid conditions, energy expenditure, nutrient partitioning, appetitive behaviors, and psychosocial factors.
<~SPAN>For more information, contact Dr. Carolyn Miles, Director; Clinical Obesity and Nutrition Program.<~/SPAN>
