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Self-management After Bariatric Surgery: a Comparison Between Support Group Participants and Patients Receiving Individual Dietary Follow-Up

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to compare self-management after bariatric surgery between support group participants (the study group) and patients receiving only individual follow-up by a dietitian (the comparison group), and to examine the differences between the two groups regarding the associations of cognitive and emotional factors with self-management.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted among bariatric patients who either participated in bariatric support groups during the years 2018–2020 or received only individual follow-up with a dietitian since their surgery. The structured questionnaire included a self-management questionnaire, cognitive variables (eating self-efficacy, eating awareness as independent variables, weight control motivation) and emotional variables (positive and negative affect, emotional eating), and background control variables.

Results

The level of self-management was better in the study group than in the comparison group. The hierarchical regression model showed that in the study group, the control variables contributed negligibly to self-management (step 1), while all independent variables contributed the most (27%) to the explained variance (31%) in self-management (step 2). In the comparison group, the contribution of the control variables was 11.5% of the explained variance, with only lower duration of time since surgery being related to higher self-management (step 1). The independent variables contributed significantly — an additional 14.5% to the explained variance (step 2). Emotional eating was the sole variable related to self-management.

Conclusion

The findings emphasize the importance of encouraging patients after bariatric surgery to participate in support groups, as the skills acquired in these groups strengthen the capacity to manage self-care.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Roni Atzava for her collaboration in the first stages of the study design and in data collection; Orly Visid-Mizrahi and Yulia Avidor, the project coordinators; Inbal Globus, Ofri Bendrihem, Ronit Karni, Tal Cotler, Merav Dekel Dahari, Amira Dany Ben Shushan, and Sharon Malol — the supervisors of the participating support group for their assistance in data collection; Dr. Gabriel Liberman for statistical consultation; and all the participants for their cooperation. We also thank Tali Cinamon, Dr. Lisa Abarbanel Cnaani, and Billy Cohen for the support in initiating the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002, Ramat-Gan, Israel

    Shiri Shinan-Altman & Varda Soskolne

  2. Nutrition Department, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Hamered 27, 68125, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Galit Kowen Sandbank

  3. Social Work Department, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Hamered 27, 68125, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Helena Natarevich–Katzav

Authors
  1. Shiri Shinan-Altman
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  2. Galit Kowen Sandbank
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  3. Helena Natarevich–Katzav
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  4. Varda Soskolne
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shiri Shinan-Altman.

Ethics declarations

Ethics Approval

The study was funded by KSM (Kahn-Sagol-Maccabi), the research and innovation center of Maccabi Healthcare Services, Grant No.: 11–2017. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Key Points

• Participants in bariatric support groups show a significantly better self-management.

• Differences in cognitive and emotional variables between the two groups.

• These variables contribute to self-management only among support group participants.

• When possible, encourage patients to join support groups after bariatric surgery.

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Shinan-Altman, S., Sandbank, G.K., Natarevich–Katzav, H. et al. Self-management After Bariatric Surgery: a Comparison Between Support Group Participants and Patients Receiving Individual Dietary Follow-Up. OBES SURG 33, 826–835 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-022-06302-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-022-06302-7

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