Psychosocial factors associated with physical activity in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery

Identifying psychosocial variables associated with physical activity may lead to the development of interventions that better address the challenges to participating in physical activity experienced by postbariatric surgery patients.

To examine associations between select psychosocial variables and physical activity in patients who had undergone bariatric surgery within the past 2 years.

Bariatric surgery candidates were recruited from the Greater Pittsburgh region.

Eighty-three patients who had undergone bariatric surgery self-reported current physical activity and select psychosocial constructs. In addition, participants provided retrospective information on physical activity and psychosocial constructs before surgery.

Patients increased physical activity from baseline (median = 156.00 [25th, 75th percentiles: 53.00, 600.00] kcal/week) to post surgery (median = 976.00 [25th, 75th percentiles: 344.00, 1832.00] kcal/week) (P < .001). A number of pre- to postsurgery changes in psychosocial variables were associated with change in physical activity; however, only change in fitness orientation (P = .001), change in social support from friends (P = .005), and change in self-reported weight (P = .012) emerged as predictors of change in physical activity from pre- to postsurgery. Several postsurgery psychosocial factors were also significantly associated with postsurgery physical activity, but only postsurgery fitness orientation (P < .001), social support from co-workers (P = .002), and physical function (P = .023) emerged as predictive of the amount of postsurgical PA.

Pre- and postbariatric surgery interventions aimed at increasing physical activity participation may need to target important constructs that include the encouragement of social support and strategies to enhance the effort individuals put forward to engage in physical activity, as well as a focus on enhancing physical function and awareness of weight status.