Patients in northern New Jersey seeking surgical treatment for obesity now have expanded options following a new accreditation for Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center. The hospital has been recognized as a Comprehensive Center with Adolescent and Obesity Medicine Qualifications by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP), making it the second Hackensack Meridian Health hospital, after Jersey Shore University Medical Center, to achieve this status.
The MBSAQIP is a joint program of the American College of Surgeons and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. This accreditation confirms that Hackensack University Medical Center meets high standards for patient safety and quality of care for both adults and adolescents undergoing bariatric surgery.
Surgeries at the center are performed by Dr. Jun Tashiro, who is noted as the only pediatric surgeon from Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital performing bariatric surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center.
“Having a board-certified pediatric surgeon performing adolescent bariatric surgery is a testament to our commitment to providing the highest, most specialized level of care,” says Dr. Tashiro. “This is the standard of excellence that our adolescent qualification designation represents and that our families deserve.”
Lisa Tank, president and chief hospital executive of Hackensack University Medical Center, highlighted Dr. Tashiro’s expertise: “Dr. Tashiro’s expertise on the Hackensack University Medical Center campus ensures that our young patients are not just undergoing a procedure, but are being cared for by a specialist who intrinsically understands their unique anatomy, physiology, and developmental journey.”
She added: “To earn northern New Jersey’s first Comprehensive Center with Adolescent and Obesity Medicine Qualifications accreditation, our team met essential criteria for staffing, training, facility infrastructure and patient care pathways, ensuring its ability to support patients with obesity. We couldn’t be more proud of this honor.”
Recent data shows childhood obesity remains a significant health concern in the United States. According to recent Centers for Disease Control (CDC) findings, nearly 20% of children and adolescents aged 2–19 years in the U.S.—about one in five—are affected by obesity. The World Health Organization reported over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 were overweight or obese globally in 2016.
Obesity among adults also remains prevalent; CDC data indicates about 93 million adults in the United States live with obesity. In New Jersey specifically, adult obesity rates reached 28.6 percent in 2020; since the 1970s, childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the state.
Hans J. Schmidt, chief of Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center stated: “Obesity is a national crisis for adults and children. The incidence of it has been linked to the risk of acquiring diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, among other health risks,” he said. “These conditions can lead to an early death, so our teams are working hard to help patients with individualized care that can help them to lose weight safely, so they can improve their health.”
The MBSAQIP Standards require accredited centers to provide comprehensive medical care through multidisciplinary teams aimed at improving outcomes for metabolic and bariatric patients. As part of its accreditation process, Hackensack University Medical Center underwent an extensive review by an experienced bariatric surgeon who evaluated its structure, processes, and clinical outcomes.
Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health addresses rising concerns around childhood obesity through nationally ranked programs in pediatric diabetes and endocrinology. Their services include medical weight management using FDA-approved medications as well as adolescent bariatric surgery when appropriate after thorough evaluation within a supportive framework.
Weight management services across Hackensack Meridian Health begin with multidisciplinary teams offering interventions ranging from lifestyle changes to surgical options—all designed to promote long-term health outcomes for patients.
