Body Image Concerns and Associated Impairment Among Adults Seeking Body Contouring Following Bariatric Surgery

Background

The current study examined a range of body image concerns and associated distress and impairment in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and are seeking subsequent body contouring surgery.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the hypotheses that individuals seeking body contouring endorse a broad pattern of body image concerns and that overall body image concern is associated with greater impairment and disability.

Methods

The participants were 56 adults seeking body contouring surgery after bariatric surgery. All participants completed a self-report questionnaire designed for the present study to assess body image concerns specific to patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and a battery of established measures of disability, impairment, and eating-disorder psychopathology.

Results

The most commonly endorsed concerns were related to loose skin (body dissatisfaction, feeling embarrassed in public, and skin rashes) whereas the least endorsed items included concerns related to scars from bariatric surgery (body dissatisfaction, avoidance of social situations, and difficulty concentrating). Participants endorsed a broad pattern of frequent distress and impairment related to physical body image changes post–bariatric surgery. Greater body image concerns were associated significantly with higher levels of disability, work-related impairment, and eating-disorder psychopathology.

Conclusions

Patients seeking body contouring surgery reported a range of body image concerns with significant associated distress, disability, and impairment related to physical changes post–bariatric surgery. The present findings underscore that although bariatric surgery is effective for reducing weight and metabolic disturbances, additional interventions for addressing body image concerns that are frequently distressing and impairing may be needed.