Eating behaviors post-bariatric surgery: a qualitative study of grazing

Eating behaviors after bariatric surgery play an important role in postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore eating behaviors among post-bariatric surgery patients, including developing a better understanding of the term "grazing", as interpreted by patients.

This study was conducted at a research institute with a community-based sample. Structured focus groups using the nominal group technique were conducted with five groups of post-bariatric patients (n = 29). All patients were over 18 years old and reported having bariatric surgery at least 1 year prior to participation. Participants were asked to produce responses to the question: "What does grazing mean to you?" Then, they were instructed to rank their responses to the questions: "What is grazing?" and "How does grazing affect you?"

The mean age of the sample was 47, mean body mass index was 29.0 kg/m(2), and the majority of the participants were women (93 %). The group members generated a total of 105 responses, which were categorized into 17 themes. Common responses included eating frequently all through the day, out of control eating, and eating due to boredom, not hunger. Results suggest that grazing has a number of unique interpretations, including mindful and mindless behaviors.

Post-bariatric surgery patients seem to view grazing as a healthy eating behavior characterized by mindful food choices that are consumed in small amounts frequently throughout the day. However, grazing may also be viewed as an unhealthy eating pattern when it is perceived as unplanned, mindless, continuous food consumption.