Weight Loss Through Bariatric Surgery: Some Issues

Abstract

Obesity is a serious chronic disease. In the USA, approximately one-third of the population meets the criteria to be classified as obese, impacting both the morbidity and mortality for these individuals. Emerging in the treatment of obesity are surgical interventions. In particular, laparoscopic gastric banding (Lap-Band) surgery is a widely implemented treatment for weight loss in obese individuals. The literature supports the necessity of lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and medical follow-up following bariatric surgery in order to sustain long-term health. Strong and sustained social support may also play a role in managing weight loss and lifestyle change, though few studies have explored the role of social support in weight loss management. In this retrospective study, we examined data for patients who underwent Lap-Band surgery who were offered the opportunity to attend support group meetings during the year following their surgery. We did not observe a statistically significant relationship between the number of support group meetings attended by patients and weight loss, nor did we find that age, sex, or race were contributing factors in such a relationship. The median number of support group sessions attended by Caucasian patients was found to be significantly larger as compared to African American patients. We did not find that one gender was more likely to attend support group meetings than another.