Abstract

Background: Bariatric surgery offers multiple benefits above and beyond weight loss including improved cardiovascular health and psychological well-being. Despite well documented health and psychosocial benefits within the first-year post-surgery, there is less known about the longevity of these outcomes. We explore whether time since bariatric surgery attenuates psychological well-being.

Methods: Patients at an accredited Bariatric Program were surveyed to determine whether changes in psychological well-being differ in patients less than or greater than three years post-operatively.

Results: Patients who underwent surgery more than 3 years prior reported significantly greater percent total weight loss than those who underwent surgery recently (37.9% ± 10.6% vs. 32.4% ± 11.4%, p<.001). There was no significant difference in post-operative weight regain, self-esteem, depression or health related quality of life based on time since surgery.

Conclusion: While both groups endorsed weight regain, patients who underwent surgery more than 3 years prior had a significantly greater total percent weight loss as well as a significantly lower current weight than those who underwent surgery more recently. Although previous literature demonstrates a weight-mood relationship, we did not identify a relationship between health-related quality of life indicators, time since bariatric surgery and weight loss achievement.