Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery: Prevalence, Etiology, and Treatment

Curr Nutr Rep. 2018 Dec;7(4):329-334. doi: 10.1007/s13668-018-0243-0.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Obesity is a life-limiting disease that is associated with a number of co-morbidities. Bariatric surgery remains the most efficacious and durable weight loss method available to patients. However, a significant percentage of patients can regain weight resulting in frustration, depression, and return of obesity-related co-morbidities. The present review provides an overview of the most common therapeutic modalities available to combat weigh regain after weight loss surgery.

Recent findings: Given the high percentage of patients with weight regain after surgery, significant effort has been placed on developing treatment options in the last few years. Tremendous work has taken place in the realm of cognitive behavior therapy, appetite suppressants, and endoscopic procedures with the hope of reducing the need for revision surgery which can be associated with significant complications. Weight regain is unfortunately a common phenomenon associated with all weight loss modalities including bariatric surgery. We now have a number of treatment options that can reverse the weight loss trend.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Obesity; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; Sleeve gastrectomy; TORe; Weight regain.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Appetite Depressants / adverse effects
  • Appetite Depressants / therapeutic use*
  • Bariatric Surgery / adverse effects*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / methods*
  • Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / adverse effects
  • Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / methods*
  • Feeding Behavior / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Obesity / epidemiology
  • Obesity / physiopathology
  • Obesity / psychology
  • Obesity / surgery*
  • Prevalence
  • Recurrence
  • Reoperation
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Weight Gain / drug effects*
  • Weight Loss / drug effects*

Substances

  • Appetite Depressants