An evaluation of the body image of bariatric surgery patients

Abstract

Insight into the body image of bariatric surgery patients is important to find out if improving body image could help to prevent weight regain and relapse after bariatric surgery. This study examined the body image of bariatric surgery patients compared to a matched normative group, the association between demographic variables, self-esteem and body image of bariatric surgery patients and the predictive role of body image in the choice to undergo post-bariatric body contouring surgery. Methods: Three groups were examined: bariatric surgery patients (n = 195), post-bariatric body contouring surgery patients (n = 77) and a matched normative group (n = 1073). Analyzed were the ‘appearance evaluation’ and ‘appearance orientation’ scales of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) and the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSS). Results: Bariatric surgery patients evaluated their appearance more negative compared to a matched normative group. Appearance evaluation of patients was associated with the combination of gender, age, educational level, before/after surgery and body mass index (BMI). Patients with a higher BMI evaluated their appearance more negative than patients with a lower BMI. Participants with a low educational level evaluated their appearance more negative than participants with a medium educational level. Appearance orientation of patients was associated with the combination of gender, age, educational level, before/after bariatric surgery and BMI. Male patients were less oriented on their appearance than female patients. Self-esteem was not associated with the body image of patients. The choice to undergo post-bariatric body contouring surgery was associated with the combination of age, gender, educational level, before/after bariatric surgery and residual change in body weight. Body image was not prospectively associated with the choice to undergo post-bariatric body contouring surgery. Conclusion: The findings highlighted the importance of gender, body mass index and educational level in understanding the body image of bariatric surgery patients but body image does not appear to be relevant to the choice to undergo body contouring surgery. Key words: morbid obesity, bariatric surgery, body image, appearance evaluation, appearance orientation, post-bariatric body contouring surgery, self-esteem, Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBRSQ), Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSS).