The average impact of bariatric surgery on quality of life corresponded to an effect size of 0.88 ( 95 % CI : 0.80 - 0.96 ) , indicating that bariatric surgery has a significant positive influence on quality of life in general .
The impact varied considerably across studies with bariatric surgery showing a significantly greater positive influence on physical quality of life compared to mental quality of life .
Bariatric surgery is effective in improving quality of life , especially when looking at physical well-being .
Greater focus on the psychological well-being of the person undergoing surgery for obesity may lead to a better post-surgery prognosis for more people
This study aims to review the obesity literature in order to assess the impact of bariatric surgery on quality of life and the between- study variation by examining the st and ardized mean magnitude of effect in change in the levels of quality of life .
Health related quality of life after gastric bypass or intensive lifestyle intervention: a controlled clinical study
Background There is little robust evidence relating to changes in health related quality of life ( HRQL ) in morbidly obese patients following a multidisciplinary non-surgical weight loss program or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass ( RYGB ) .  The aim of the present study was to describe and compare changes in five dimensions of HRQL in morbidly obese subjects . In addition , we wanted to assess the clinical relevance of the changes in HRQL between and within these two groups after one year . We hypothesized that RYGB would be associated with larger improvements in HRQL than a part residential intensive lifestyle-intervention program ( ILI ) with morbidly obese subjects . Methods A total of 139 morbidly obese patients chose treatment with RYGB ( n=76 ) or ILI ( n=63 ) . The ILI comprised four stays ( seven weeks ) at a specialized rehabilitation center over one year . The daily schedule was divided between physical activity , psychosocially-oriented interventions , and motivational approaches . No special diet or weight-loss drugs were prescribed . The participants completed three HRQL- question naires before treatment and 1 year thereafter . Both linear regression and ANCOVA were used to analyze differences between weight loss and treatment for five dimensions of HRQL ( physical , mental , emotional , symptoms and symptom distress ) controlling for baseline HRQL , age , age of onset of obesity , BMI , and physical activity . Clinical relevance was assessed by effect size ( ES ) where ES<.49 was considered small , between .50-.79 as moderate , and ES>.80 as large . Results The adjusted between group mean difference ( 95 % CI ) was 8.6 ( 4.6,12.6 ) points ( ES=.83 ) for the physical dimension , 5.4 ( 1.5–9.3 ) points ( ES=.50 ) for the mental dimension , 25.2 ( 15.0–35.4 ) points ( ES=1.06 ) for the emotional dimension , 8.7 ( 1.8–15.4 ) points ( ES=.37 ) for the measured symptom distress , and 2.5 for ( .6,4.5 ) fewer symptoms ( ES=.56 ) , all in favor of RYGB . Within-group changes in HRQOL in the RYGB group were large for all dimensions of HRQL . Within the ILI group , changes in the emotional dimension , symptom reduction and symptom distress were moderate . Linear regression analyses of weight loss on HRQL change showed a st and ardized beta-coefficient of –.430 ( p<.001 ) on the physical dimension , –.288 ( p=.004 ) on the mental dimension , –.432 ( p<.001 ) on the emotional dimension , .287 ( p=.008 ) on number of symptoms , and .274 ( p=.009 ) on reduction of symptom pressure . Conclusions Morbidly obese participants undergoing RYGB and ILI had improved HRQL after 1 year . The weaker response of ILI on HRQL , compared to RYGB , may be explained by the difference in weight loss following the two treatments . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov number
The average impact of bariatric surgery on quality of life corresponded to an effect size of 0.88 ( 95 % CI : 0.80 - 0.96 ) , indicating that bariatric surgery has a significant positive influence on quality of life in general .
The impact varied considerably across studies with bariatric surgery showing a significantly greater positive influence on physical quality of life compared to mental quality of life .
Bariatric surgery is effective in improving quality of life , especially when looking at physical well-being .
Greater focus on the psychological well-being of the person undergoing surgery for obesity may lead to a better post-surgery prognosis for more people
This study aims to review the obesity literature in order to assess the impact of bariatric surgery on quality of life and the between- study variation by examining the st and ardized mean magnitude of effect in change in the levels of quality of life .