Behavioral and psychological factors associated with suboptimal weight loss in post-bariatric surgery patients

Purpose Bariatric surgery is the most effective long-term treatment for sustained weight loss in obesity. Studies have shown that not all patients lose the expected amount of weight. The aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of which behavioral and psychological factors are associated with suboptimal weight loss. Methods The present paper describes a cross-sectional study that included 140 participants. The mean follow-up period after bariatric surgery was 3.16 years. Eating disorder pathology (Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire), impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness scale-II) and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory) were compared with successful and suboptimal participants. A weight loss of more than or equal to 50% of excess weight, was considered to be successful. Results More than 81% of the participants met the criterion for successful weight loss. The suboptimal weight loss group reported more symptoms of eating disorder pathology ( p = .001), more loss of control over eating ( p = .001), and more avoidant behavior due to poor body image ( p