Health and appearance: Factors motivating the decision to seek bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery confers a multitude of benefits for health and quality of life among patients with obesity [1,2]. In addition to the medical conditions that may be eliminated or better managed as a result of surgery [3], patients report improvements in self-esteem and body image up to 4 years later [4]. However, few studies have explored the relative importance of health, appearance, and other potentially motivating factors in patients ’ decision to undergo bariatric surgery. Understanding the factors that may concurrently influence patient motivation for bariatric surgery is needed to inform preoperative counseling and support services for patients as they navigate this decision-making process.
Source: Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Original articles Source Type: research