title: Attitudes of morbidly obese patients to weight loss and body image following bariatric surgery and body contouring.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors evaluated body image attitudes in post-obese persons following bariatric surgery who require cosmetic and body contouring operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 20 morbidly obese women prior to biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) (OB group), 20 post-obese women at >2 years following BPD (POST group), 10 post-obese women following BPD who required cosmetic procedures (POST-A group), 10 post-obese women after BPD and subsequent cosmetic surgery (POST-B group), and 20 healthy lean controls. Attitudes to weight and shape were evaluated by means of the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the obese patients in the POST group, lower BUT scores were observed, while in the POST-A group the values were very similar to those observed in the non-operated obese individuals. In the individuals having received cosmetic surgery, the BUT findings were similar to those recorded in the POST group patients, the values approaching data found in the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite a fully satisfactory weight loss and maintenance, the post-BPD individuals requiring aesthetic surgery showed some disparagement of body image; in these subjects, cosmetic and body contouring procedures may actually improve body weight and shape attitudes towards normality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pecori
authors.forename: Gian Giacomo
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Serra Cervetti
authors.forename: Giuseppe M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Marinari
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Migliori
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Adami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015431:Weight Loss