The effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery on body image

Numerous studies examine the physical effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) surgery on morbid obesity. However, the effects of this surgery on psychosocial issues such as body image have not been extensively studied.

This pilot study used a cross-sectional design to examine the effects of RYGBP surgery on patients' perceived body image. Four groups (n = 20) were assessed for perceived change in body image at 4 time intervals. These included pre-surgery, 1 to 3 weeks post-surgery, 6-months post-surgery, and 1-year post-surgery, with two measures of body image. One-way ANOVA was applied, with body image measures as the dependent variables, and time since surgery (group) as the independent variable. Planned post-hoc t-tests were applied to assess the differences between specific groups (pre vs. 1 week, pre vs. 6 months post, 6 months post vs. 1 year post).

Results of the one-way ANOVAs revealed significant improvement on perceptions of body image over time following surgery. Follow-up t-tests revealed that the most significant improvement occurred between pre-surgery and 6 months post-surgery. Although smaller, the change between 6 months post-surgery and 1 year post-surgery was also significant.

While RYGBP results in numerous medical and physical benefits, this study reveals that there are also dramatic improvements in perceived body image, demonstrating the impact of this surgery on a patient's psychosocial health.