Abstract
There is no standardized definition of “weight loss success” after bariatric surgery. The current study was designed to evaluate if various patient factors differed between those with successful and unsuccessful weight loss; and if these findings varied depending upon which definition of weight loss success was used. A chart review of psychiatric and medical files was conducted for 110 patients who had Roux en-Y Gastric Bypass and at least 1 year of follow-up data. Data were analyzed for four weight loss success criteria: body mass index (BMI) < 30 kg/m2 (n = 60 patients), BMI < 35 kg/m2 (n = 86), ≥70% excess weight loss (EWL; n = 75), and ≥ 50% EWL (n = 103). For each success criterion, we examined the differences in demographics, physical co-morbidities, and psychological conditions before surgery and behavioral noncompliance after surgery between patients who had and had not achieved successful weight loss. Weight loss success rates with these patients ranged from 55% to 94%, depending upon which criterion was used. Having sleep apnea before surgery differentiated successful and unsuccessful patients when using BMI < 30 kg/m2 and ≥70% EWL only. A success criterion of ≥50% EWL can be used for any patient, although a more stringent definition of success (BMI < 30 kg/m2) could be used for patients with BMI 40-50 kg/m2. Future research should be done to examine how patient health and behavior predicts differing definitions of weight loss success.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Flegal KM, Graubard BI, Williamson DF, et al. Excess deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity. JAMA. 2005;293:1861–7.
Ogden CL, Carroll MD, McDowell MA, et al. Obesity among adults in the United States—no statistically significant chance since 2003-2004. NCHS Data Brief. 2007; 1–8.
Shinogle JA, Owings MF, Kozak LJ. Gastric bypass as treatment for obesity: trends, characteristics, and complications. Obesity Research. 2005;13:2202–9.
Sturm R. Increases in morbid obesity in the USA: 2000-2005. Public Health. 2007;121:492–6.
Buchwald H. Consensus conference statement bariatric surgery for morbid obesity: health implications for patients, health professionals, and third party payers. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. 2005;1:371–81.
Dixon JB, O'Brien PE, Playfair J, et al. Adjustable gastric banding and conventional therapy for type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008;299:316–23.
Vetter ML, Cardillo S, Rickels MR, et al. Narrative review: effect of bariatric surgery on type 2 diabetes mellitus. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2009;150:94–103.
Mechanick JI, Kushner RF, Sugerman HJ, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, The Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery medical guidelines for clinical practice for the perioperative nutritional, metabolic, and nonsurgical support of the bariatric surgery patient. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009;17 Suppl 1:S1-70, v.
Toussi R, Fujioka K, Coleman KJ. Pre- and Postsurgery behavioral compliance, patient health, and postbariatric surgical weight loss. Obesity. 2009;17:996–1002.
Patterson EJ, Urbach DR, Swanstrom LL. A comparison diet and exercise therapy versus laparascopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity: a decision analysis model. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2003;196:379–84.
Christou NV, Look D, MacLean LD. Weight gain after short- and long-limb gastric bypass in patients followed for longer than 10 years. Annals of Surgery. 2006;244:734–40.
Campos GM, Rabl C, Mulligan K, et al. Factors associated with weight loss after gastric bypass. Archives of Surgery. 2008;143:877–84.
Melton GB, Steele KE, Schweitzer MA, et al. Suboptimal weight loss after gastric bypass surgery: correlation of demographics, comorbidities, and insurance status with outcomes. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery. 2008;12:250–5.
Chevallier JM, Paita M, Rodde-Dunet MH, et al. Predictive factors of outcome after gastric banding: a nationwide survey on the role of center activity and patients’ behavior. Annals of Surgery. 2007;246:1034–9.
Still CD, Benotti P, Wood C, et al. Outcomes of preoperative weight loss in high-risk patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Archives of Surgery. 2007;142:994–8.
Buchwald H, Avidor Y, Braunwald E, et al. Bariatric surgery: a systematic review of the literature. JAMA. 2004;292:1724–37.
Bray GA, Bouchard C, Church TS, et al. Is it time to change the way we report and discuss weight loss? Obesity. 2009;17:619–21.
Hollingshead AA. Four-factor index of social status, Unpublished manuscript. New Haven, CT: Yale University; 1975.
Saunders R, Johnson L, Teschner J. Prevalence of eating disorders among bariatric surgery patients. Eating Disorders. 1998;6:309–17.
Larsen JK, Geenen R. Childhood sexual abuse is not associated with a poor outcome after gastric banding for severe obesity. Obesity Surgery. 2005;15:534–7.
Glinski J, Wetzler S, Goodman E. The psychology of gastric bypass surgery. Obesity Surgery. 2001;11:581–8.
Kenchaiah S, Evans JC, Levy D, et al. Obesity and the risk of heart failure. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2002;347:305–13.
Fujioka K. Follow-up of nutritional and metabolic problems after bariatric surgery. Diabetes Care. 2005;28:481–4.
Fujioka K, Toussi RH, Brunson ME, et al. Health care utilization before and after bariatric surgery, the managed care experience. Obesity Research. 2001;9 Suppl 3:93S.
Lanyon RI, Maxwell BM. Predictors of outcome after gastric bypass surgery. Obesity Surgery. 2007;17:321–8.
Pontiroli AE, Fossati A, Vedani P, et al. Post-surgery adherence to scheduled visits and compliance, more than personality disorders, predict outcome of bariatric restrictive surgery in morbidly obese patients. Obesity Surgery. 2007;17:1492–7.
Colles SL, Dixon JB, O'Brien PE. Hunger control and regular physical activity facilitate weight loss after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding. Obesity Surgery. 2008;18:833–40.
King WC, Belle SH, Eid GM, et al. Physical activity levels of patients undergoing bariatric surgery in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery study. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. 2008;4:721–8.
Maggard MA, Shugarman LR, Suttorp M, et al. Meta-analysis: surgical treatment of obesity. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2005;142:547–59.
Greenburg DL, Lettieri CJ, Eliasson AH. Effects of surgical weight loss on measures of obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis. The American Journal of Medicine. 2009;122:535–42.
Kinzl JF, Schrattenecker M, Traweger C, et al. Psychosocial predictors of weight loss after bariatric surgery. Obesity Surgery. 2006;16:1609–14.
van Hout GC, Verschure SK, van Heck GL. Psychosocial predictors of success following bariatric surgery. Obesity Surgery. 2005;15:552–60.
Conflict of Interest
Dr. Coleman received a grant from Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development in 2008 to study the impact of bariatric surgery on Kaiser Permanente patients’ diabetes. This funding was unrelated to the current project. Drs. Fujioka and Toussi have no conflicts of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Coleman, K.J., Toussi, R. & Fujioka, K. Do Gastric Bypass Patient Characteristics, Behavior, and Health Differ Depending upon how Successful Weight Loss is Defined?. OBES SURG 20, 1385–1392 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-010-0223-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-010-0223-y