The long-term impact of bariatric surgery on everyday life

To date, bariatric (weight-loss) surgery is the only treatment that results in large and sustained weight loss in people with obesity. Bariatric surgery should be viewed as a lifelong treatment, affecting a wide range of aspects in a patient’s life.

However, the vast majority of research on bariatric surgery is focused on changes in body weight and prevention of obesity-related diseases. In contrast, much less is known about the effects of bariatric surgery on everyday life.

This knowledge gap is likely to prevent patients from making a well informed decision about this treatment and may leave them unprepared for life after bariatric surgery.The overall aim of this project is to provide unique long-term data about every day life after bariatric surgery.

The specific aims cover key aspects of everyday life, including quality of life, ability to work, mobility, sexual functioning, physical activity and risk of substance abuse.All aims will be addressed using data from the prospective Swedish Obese Subjects (SOS) study.

Strengths of the SOS study include the large number of surgically treated patients (n=2010), a well-matched control group given usual non-surgical obesity care (n=2037) and extensive questionnaires distributed at study start and after 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15, and 20-years follow-up.