Great Health Benefits But No Change in Employment or Psychopharmaceutical Drug Use 2 Years After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

Background: The aim was to examine health benefits and lifestyle factors after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).

Methods: Patients (n = 165) were investigated 2 years after RYGB in relation to psychopharmaceutical drugs, employment status, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, metabolic syndrome (MetS), body weight, physical activity (PA), and energy intake.

Results: Excess weight loss (EWL) was 71.4 ± 20.6 %. Prevalence of T2DM, hypertension, and MetS was reduced (P < 0.001 for all). There were no changes in the use of psychopharmaceutical drugs (20.6 vs. 18.8 %, P = 0.549) or in the proportion of unemployed participants (37.7 vs. 33.3 %, P = 0.189) from pre- to post-surgery. Eighty-three percent achieved EWL ≥ 50 %. These subjects had a lower pre-surgery BMI. We found no differences in the prevalence of hypertension, T2DM, and MetS pre-surgery, but the prevalence was lower after surgery compared with subjects with EWL < 50 %.

Conclusion: RYGB induced remission of T2DM, hypertension, and MetS 2 years after surgery. The benefit was greatest in the group with EWL ≥ 50 %. Despite excellent weight loss, there was no change in the use of psychopharmaceutical drugs or proportion of unemployed participants.