Predictors of Success in Bariatric Surgery

Purpose of Review The goal of this review is to summarize the current literature on predictors of success in bariatric surgery. These predictors include clinical, psychological, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors. Successful bariatric surgery is defined by excess weight loss, as well as improvement in medical comorbidities and the patient's quality of life. Recent Findings Successful bariatric surgery is dependent on clinical, psychological, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors. The choice of operation, as well as the starting body mass index (BMI), has the largest clinical effect on weight loss. The presence of maladaptive eating habits, such as binge eating and emotional eating, is strongly correlated with poor postoperative weight loss. The presence of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety has mixed effects on postoperative weight loss. Socioeconomic factors are barriers to access to bariatric surgery and can affect weight loss. Success after weight loss surgery not only is measured by the amount of weight lost but also by the improvement/resolution of comorbidities. Weight loss after bariatric surgery is a complex interplay of various clinical, psychological, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors. The strongest predictors appear to be behavioral. Channeling efforts to improve behavioral and nutritional support should be the focus of research going forward. More long-term studies are needed to further define the importance and influence of these factors on post-bariatric surgery outcomes.