BEHAVIOURAL PREDICTORS OF WEIGHT LOSS MAINTENANCE AFTER BARIATRIC SURGERY: A SCOPING REVIEW

Background: Numerous studies have investigated prognostic and preoperative factors associated with the outcomes of bariatric surgery in terms of weight loss. Nonetheless, postoperative factors influencing weight loss are less clear. Therefore, this work aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on postoperative behavioural and psychological predictors of weight loss outcomes following bariatric surgery.Methods: The scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. Searches were conducted on PubMed, Springer, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library for data between January 2010 and December 2020. The focus was on postoperative predictors of weight loss and regain one year after bariatric surgery.Results: The literature search yielded 462 unique records, with 220 articles eliminated based on irrelevant titles and/or abstracts. A total of 242 full-text articles were reviewed, and ultimately, 28 articles were included in this scoping review. Three major postoperative areas emerged: eating behaviour, adherence to professional recommendations, and psychological disorders.Conclusions: Follow-up strategies after bariatric surgery should include assessing the patient's strengths and weaknesses to offer tailored behavioural recommendations. Additionally, encouraging the search for proper formal support when needed is crucial for long-term success.