Predictors of changes in physical, psychosocial, sexual quality of life, and comfort with food after obesity surgery: a 12-month follow-up study.

Purpose: Although obesity surgery provides significant postoperative improvement in quality of life (QoL), it is still unclear which factors might predict improvement in QoL after surgery. We aimed to determine which factors might predict changes in physical, psychosocial, sexual QoL, and comfort with food 12 months after surgery, by putting to the test a QoL model based on Wilson and Cleary's model.

Methods: We included 126 obese patients (48.4% had gastric banding, 34.1% had sleeve gastrectomy, and 17.5% had gastric bypass). At baseline, we assessed QoL (Quality of Life, Obesity and Dietetics rating scale), BMI, depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and binge eating (Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh). At 12 months, we assessed QoL and BMI. To determine the predictors for changes in each QoL dimension after surgery, we used linear mixed models adjusted for preoperative age, BMI, time, type of surgery, preoperative binge eating severity, and preoperative depression severity.

Results: After 12 months, we found significant improvement in physical, psychosocial, sexual QoL, but not in comfort with food. Increased weight loss was associated with better improvement in physical and psychosocial QoL. Higher preoperative depression severity predicted poorer improvement in physical, psychosocial, and sexual QoL. Higher preoperative binge eating severity predicted poorer improvement in psychosocial, sexual QoL, and comfort with food.

Conclusions: In addition to weight loss, preoperative levels of binge eating and depression should be considered as important predictors for QoL changes after bariatric surgery. Screening and treatment for preoperative depression and binge eating might improve QoL after bariatric surgery.