Does Lifestyle Intervention After Gastric Bypass Surgery Prevent Weight Regain? A Randomized Clinical Trial

Weight regain after bariatric surgery often starts after 1-2 y, but studies evaluating strategies to prevent weight regain are lacking. The aim of this intervention was to evaluate the efficacy of a 2-y-group-based lifestyle intervention starting approximately 2 y after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) compared with usual care on weight regain and related metabolic risk factors.

A total of 165 patients with a mean of 21 months (range 14-32) after RYGB were randomized to a lifestyle intervention group (LIG) or a usual care group (UCG). Of the 165 participants 86% completed the study. The LIG was offered 16 group meetings over 2 y with focus on healthy diet, physical activity, and behavioural strategies to prevent weight regain, in addition to usual care.

Mean (SD) total weight loss at study start was 30.1 ± 8.2%, while weight regain during the intervention was 4.9 ± 7.4 and 4.6 ± 9.2% in the LIG and UCG, respectively (P = 0.84). There were no differences in metabolic risk factors between the groups. The LIG participants attended 8 ± 4 group meetings, with no difference in weight regain between participants with high compared to lower participation. In all the participants, a positive association between weight increase from nadir to study start and weight regain during the intervention was found. Participants who reported physical activity ≥ 150 min/wk had smaller % weight regain compared with less active participants (β = - 5.2 [SE 2.0, 95% CI - 9.1 to - 1.4]).

We found no difference in weight regain between LIG and UCG.