Relationship between Eating Behavior, Quality of Life and Weight Regain in Women after Bariatric Surgery

Abstract

Individuals undergoing bariatric Surgery (BS) may have long-term weight regain. There is a need to investigate factors that may be related to this and if they can interfere with Quality of Life (QOL). This study aims to evaluate the relationship between eating behavior, perception of QOL, and weight regain in women after 24 months of bariatric surgery. This was a transversal study with 50 adult women residents in the city of Belém, Brazil. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, eating behavior (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire—TFEQ-21) and perception of QOL (Item Short Form Healthy Survey—SF-36) data were collected. In 60% (n = 30) there was weight regain (≥15%), with a mean weight regain of 23.3% (±18.4). Emotional eating was the most frequent pattern (p = 0.047). Regarding QOL, the functional capacity and limitation due to physical aspects domains had a better perception (p < 0.0001). Women without weight regain showed a better perception of the functional capacity aspects (p = 0.007), limitation due to physical aspects (p = 0.044), social aspects (p = 0.048), and general physical components (p = 0.016) and also had an inverse association with the perception of QOL in physical components (p = 0.008). Patterns of eating behavior and weight regain can damage the perception of QOL, especially physical capacity. Long-term follow-up is essential to evaluate the behavior of people who have undergone BS in order to prevent weight regain and QOL damage.