[Body perception and bariatric surgery: the ideal and the possible]

Bariatric surgery helps significantly in weight loss. Little is known whether the change in body shape and size is enough to meet the expectations created preoperatively.

To evaluate the different perceptions of body size and shape before and after bariatric surgery.

A total of 423 patients were evaluated by Nine-figure Outline Scale. Of these, 32% were pre-surgery (PreS), 20% were evaluated between 10 and 12 months after surgery (PO-1), 13% between 18 and 24 months (PO-2), 15% between 30 and 36 months (PO-3) and 20% after 42 months of operation (PO-4). Groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance.

When choosing figures that represented a man and a woman of normal size, no differences were observed between groups. Regarding the choice of figures representing the own size, differences were observed between groups PreS and all other groups (p<0.001), and PreS chosen larger figures. In choosing figures that represented a size that believed they could achieve, PreS differed from the PO-1, PO-2 and PO-3 (p <0.001), showing a tendency to choose larger silhouettes after surgery. When choosing figures that represented a size that would like to have PO-4 differed from PO-1 and PO-2 (p <0.05), showing that in the PO-4 there was a tendency to choose larger figures.

The body perception seems to comply with own body size, even after weight loss. As longer postoperative period, the participants were more aware of the real possibilities of weight loss. There were signs of dissatisfaction with the body size and shape, mainly in the PO-1 and PO-2, which can lead to frustration and little use of the benefits of the surgery for health and quality of life.