Results: One hundred and forty two adults participated in this study. Participants' attitudes were strongly influenced by personal and contextual factors, including personal experiences with weight and weight loss attempts. Participants felt that messages were overly focused on the physical rather than emotional health consequences of obesity i.e. the risk of getting cancer, or dying from obesity. Many, particularly those who were severely obese, described feeling stigmatised and blamed by the simplicity of messages and the lack of realistic solutions available to them. Whilst they trusted government based messages, they acted upon the solutions provided by the commercial weight loss industry. Participants supported non-stigmatising messages from noncommercial sources that were focused on encouraging individuals to make healthy lifestyle changes, rather than promoting weight loss. Conclusion: This study is the first step in exploring the ways in which we understand how obesity messages resonate with obese individuals in Australia and influence their weight loss behaviours. However, further qualitative and quantitative research is needed before we fully understand the impact of obesity messaging on the health beliefs, behaviours and wellbeing of obese adults. Objective: Bariatric surgery has been indicated as a preferential treatment for morbid obesity and is associated with a set of physical and psychological improvements. The aim of our study was to characterize the current functioning and the physical and psychological health problems of bariatric surgery candidates in the surgery moment, in a follow-up of 6 and 12 months. Methods: 30 obese subjects filled Childhood History Questionnaire, Brief Symptoms Inventory, Rotterdam Symptoms Checklist, Health Questionnaire and Ways of Coping Questionnaire at the surgery, in a follow-up of 6 and 12 months. Results: The number of reported adverse childhood experiences does not change over time and the prevalence was low. Preliminary results indicate that at the time of surgery, participants reported more passive coping, more problems and physical health complaints than in the 6 months follow-up. 12 months after, there is an increase of psychopathology, passive coping and physical complaints. Conclusion: The prevalence of adverse childhood experiences is lower when compared with other studies with this population. There is an improvement on current functioning and quality of life after 6 months, however, these gains are going to be blurring the end of 12 months. Obese seem to use more passive coping strategies and do not actively involve in solving their problems.