Title
Short-term changes in affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of body image after bariatric surgery
Abstract
Background: Many bariatric surgery candidates report body image concerns before surgery. Research has reported post-surgical improvements in body satisfaction, which may be associated with weight loss. However, research has failed to comprehensively examine changes in affective, behavioral, and cognitive body image. Objectives: This research examined (1) short-term changes in affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of body image from pre-surgery to 1- and 6-months after bariatric surgery, and (2) the association between percent weight loss and these changes. Setting: Participants were recruited from a private hospital in the midwestern United States. Methods: Eighty-eight females (original N = 123; lost to follow-up: n = 15 at 1-month and n = 20 at 6-months post-surgery) completed a questionnaire battery, including the Body Attitudes Questionnaire, Body Checking Questionnaire, Body Image Avoidance Questionnaire, and Body Shape Questionnaire, and weights were obtained from patients’ medical records before and at 1- and 6-months post-surgery. Results: Results indicated significant decreases in body dissatisfaction, feelings of fatness, and body image avoidance at 1- and 6-months after bariatric surgery, with the greatest magnitude of change occurring for body image avoidance. Change in feelings of fatness was significantly correlated with percent weight loss at 6-months, but not 1-month, post-surgery. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of examining short-term changes in body image from a multidimensional perspective in the effort to improve postsurgical outcomes. Unique contributions include the findings regarding the behavioral component of body image, as body image avoidance emerges as a particularly salient concern that changes over time among bariatric surgery candidates.
Department(s)
Psychology
Document Type
Article
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2017.12.026
Keywords
Bariatric surgery, Body checking, Body image avoidance, Body image dissatisfaction, Feelings of fatness, Weight loss
Publication Date
4-1-2018
Recommended Citation
Williams, Gail A., Danae L. Hudson, Brooke L. Whisenhunt, Megan Stone, Leslie J. Heinberg, and Janis H. Crowther. "Short-term changes in affective, behavioral, and cognitive components of body image after bariatric surgery." Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases 14, no. 4 (2018): 521-526.
Journal Title
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases
