Weight Regain and Its Associated Factors Following Bariatric Surgery in Obese Patients in Gorgan, Iran

Background and Objective: Weight regain following bariatric surgery is a significant challenge for this obesity treatment method. This study aimed to identify factors associated with weight regain after bariatric surgeries in obese patients in Gorgan, Iran. Methods: This longitudinal study included 143 obese individuals (125 women and 18 men) with a mean age of 43.13±9.83 years who underwent bariatric surgery in Gorgan, Iran during 2013-19. Participants were invited to join the study via phone calls. Research variables (type of surgery, blood group, pre-surgery weight, and body mass index [BMI]) were extracted from patient records, and their current weight and waist circumference were measured and recorded. Weight regain was determined based on one of three different criteria: (1) regaining more than 25% of the maximum weight lost post-surgery, (2) regaining more than 10 kg from the minimum weight post-surgery, or (3) an increase of more than 5 BMI units from the lowest BMI post-surgery. Results: Overall, 33% of individuals experienced weight regain, with 26.6% according to the first definition, 29.4% according to the second definition, and 18.2% according to the third definition. Men had a higher rate of weight regain (P