Body image and bariatric surgery: A systematic review of literature

Abstract

Background: Bariatric surgery has been considered one of the main interventions for patients with morbid obesity. Body image has been a relevant variable to access the patient's level of satisfaction and weight loss expectations. This systematic review has the aim of verifying the most used measures to evaluate body image of bariatric surgery patients, as well as the main results regarding body image changes after surgery. Materials and Methods: This study followed the PRISMA standards, and the search was made on Medline, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases, using "body image" AND "bariatric surgery" as descriptors. Results: The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) was the most used instrument. Studies revealed a lack of measures that investigate relevant topics for the bariatric patient, for instance, excess skin. A negative perception of body image was associated with the presence of psychopathology, while the improvement of body image perception was related to a better quality of life after surgery. Conclusions: For multidisciplinary teams, it is important to use measures of body image evaluation, both specific and generic, to understand whether aesthetic motivations are such an important aspect of surgery expectations and eventually identify body image distortions that should be treated with psychological counseling.