Evaluation of eating habits and lifestyle in obese patients before and after bariatric surgery: a single italian center experience

Introduction. Several inadequacies in bariatric surgery patients' lifestyle and eating habits frequently occurs, suggesting that patients may regain weight due to poor dietary intake, physical activity and the return to old eating habits. The study aimed to evaluate eating behaviour, physical activity and smoking habits of obese patients underwent Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y (RYGB) and Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG). Methods. We retrospectively analyzed dietary habits (A), food frequencies (B), physical activity (C) and smoking habits (D) in 50 RYGB patients (25M; aged: 24-64; mean BMI: 44.8±6.8 Kg/m2) and 50 SG patients (25M; aged: 22-63; mean BMI: 44.5±7.4 Kg/m2) by using a validated questionnaire, before (T0) and after 6 months (T1) the intervention. A total score of each section (A, B, C or D) was calculated; the score assigned to each response for each section ranged from 0-3, with the maximum score assigned to the healthiest one. Statistical analysis was performed by using STATA 11. Results. ANOVA analysis, age and gender adjusted, reported that A and B scores improved significantly at T6, both in RYGB and SG patients (p<0.001), while C score improved, even if not significantly so. D score did not change at T6 both in RYGB and in SG patients, when compared to T0. Multilevel analysis showed no association between A and C scores and independent variables (age, gender, weight, BMI, ideal and relative weight) both in RYGB and in SG. B score was negatively correlated with weight (p=0.002) in BYPGR patients and inversely associated with BMI in SG patients (p=0.003). A positive association was found between D score and age, only in SG patients (p=0.002), more advanced in females than in males (p=0.004). Conclusion.