The Effects of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery on Body Image

Abstract

While RYGBP results in numerous medical and physical benefits, this study reveals that there are also dramatic improvements in perceived body image, demonstrating the impact of this surgery on a patient's psychosocial health.

Changes in Body Image Disturbance in Morbidly Obese Patients 1 Year after Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding

“…On the one hand these data confirm former reports 2,6,15,19 emphasizing that the positive effects of bariatric surgery also ameliorate several aspects of BID, aside from weight status alone. Specifically, the finding of a reduction of BIC, CSM, A and GSI at 1 year after LAGB is consistent with the sharp improvement in feelings of body dissatisfaction, physical attractiveness, and self-evaluation of appearance which has already been observed after biliopancreatic diversion, 19 gastric bypass surgery, 15,36 and LAGB. 2 On the other hand, the lack of improvement in WP, D and PST after surgery echoes prior reports 19,37 showing that, within the body image construct, the fear of regaining weight, self-disparagement, and psychological distress with somatic morphology do not normalize following bariatric surgery.…”

“…2,6,14,15 However, the reasons for such an improvement are still unclear. For example, although some researchers report that post-surgical BID reduction is related to the percent of excess weight loss, 16,17 others suggest that BID in the obese may represent a psychological experience that is independent of weight and, thus, not affected by weight loss.…”

Changes in Desired Body Shape After Bariatric Surgery

“…Improved satisfaction with body shape has been reported in those having undergone weight loss surgery (Hrabosky et al, 2006; Neven, Dymek, le Grange, Maasdam, Boogerd, & Alverdy, 2002). In addition, other areas of social functioning have been shown to improve with the combination of weight loss and improved body image such as sexual relationships, marital satisfaction and social functioning (Bocchieri, Meana, & Fisher, 2002).…”

“…While previous research has investigated changes in attitude towards one’s body shape pre and post bariatric surgery, (Neven et al, 2002) the authors are not aware of research that examined the change in discrepancy between perceived current and desired body shape and in particular, the hypothesis that participants that undergo weight loss surgery idealize a smaller body shape than prior to surgery. The purpose of the present study is to examine over the course of 1 year in a sample of bariatric surgery patients, changes in perceived current body shape, ideal body shape and the discrepancy between the two.…”

Prospective changes in body image dissatisfaction among adolescent bariatric patients: the importance of body size estimation

“…The larger the discrepancy between Current and Ideal ratings, the greater the BID an individual is thought to experience. To date, only one cross-sectional study has used figure rating scales to assess BID with bariatric patients( 11 _ENREF_8). This study, conducted among a small sample of adult Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients who ranged from pre-surgery to 1 year post-surgery, revealed a significant decrease in BID, primarily occurring between pre-surgery and 6 months post-surgery.…”