Weight Loss Surgery: Success in Numbers

By Brandie Umar - Executive Director of Content | March 29th, 2011

Patients who undergo weight loss surgery at the same time as a close family member or friend have better chance of success than patients who have surgery alone suggests a new report.

The report, submitted to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, studied 91 patients who underwent bariatric procedures such as Gastric Bypass Roux-En Y and found that patients who had a companion during the post-surgery process were more likely to reach their target BMI than patients who had surgery alone.

Despite the success rates of bariatric weight loss surgery, many patients find it difficult to adjust to the life-changes stomach shrinking surgery brings. Patients can only consume small meals, up to 3oz of food in one sitting; post-surgery, patients face certain limitations on the type of food which can be eaten to prevent complications such as

'dumping' after Gastric Bypass and patients often find it difficult to adjust to both the physical and emotional impact of surgery. The study shows that having a second person to share the experience with helps patients emotionally and also provides extra motivation to loose the weight.

Dr. Gus Slotman who led the research suggests a competitive element may be one of the reasons why partnering up for weight loss surgery is so effective; siblings who underwent weight loss surgery together lost as much as 25% extra weight than patients who had surgery alone. In the same way as people on a diet tend to loose more weight if family and friends are following the same diet plan, patients following a post-surgery diet with a friend or family member are psychologically more able to view the diet as a normal eating plan, without being surrounded by the temptation of off-limit foods.

Bariatric surgery is not a quick and easy solution to obesity and requires commitment to achieve the weight loss goal - having someone to motivate you and inspire you to achieve your goal does, accordingly to this report, make the weight loss journey easier to accomplish.