title: Psychosocial functioning before and after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine short and long-term physical, mental and, particularly, social quality of life (QoL) of patients with severe obesity after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).
  
  
  METHODS
  250 patients (221 female, 29 male, mean age 39.6 years, age range 22-61) filled out questionnaires to evaluate several aspects of QoL: 93 patients before LAGB, 48 with a follow-up duration of 8 through 24 months, and 109 patients 25 through 68 months after LAGB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with patients before surgery, patients after surgery, in both follow-up groups, had lower weight and co-morbidity, felt and functioned better on physical and psychological dimensions of QoL, and on most aspects of social QoL. No significant differences emerged between the two postoperative groups. On average, the postoperative QoL was still lower than the age norm group. Mutual correlations between QoL and weight outcome were very low up to 2 years after surgery, but more strongly associated >2 years after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LAGB could be a long-term solution to morbid obesity with regard to both weight and QoL outcome. The findings of our study emphasize the importance of including social QoL variables in outcome research. They further suggest that when the follow-up duration increases, especially in patients who are single, intervention and consultation should be simultaneously directed at weight and psychosocial variables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.larsen@fss.uu.nl
authors.forename: Junilla K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Rinie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Geenen
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: van Ramshorst
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Wit
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stroebe
authors.forename: Lorenz J P
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van Doornen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors