title: Six-year changes in health-related quality of life in gastric bypass patients versus obese comparison groups.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have evaluated the long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery patients in relation to obese individuals not participating in weight loss interventions. Our objective was to evaluate the 6-year changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in gastric bypass (GB) patients versus 2 obese groups not undergoing surgical weight loss. The study setting was a bariatric surgery practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 323 GB patients were compared with 257 individuals who sought but did not undergo gastric bypass and 272 population-based obese individuals using weight-specific (impact of weight on quality of life-lite) and general (medical outcomes study short-form 36 health survey) HRQOL questionnaires at baseline and 2 and 6 years later.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 years, compared with the controls, the GB group exhibited significant improvements in all domains of weight-specific and most domains of general HRQOL (i.e., all physical and some mental/psychosocial). The 6-year percentage of excess weight loss correlated significantly with improvements in both weight-specific and physical HRQOL. The HRQOL scores were fairly stable from 2 to 6 years for the GB group, with small decreases in HRQOL corresponding to some weight regain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GB patients demonstrated significant improvements in most aspects of HRQOL at 6 years compared with 2 nonsurgical obese groups. Despite some weight regain and small decreases in HRQOL from 2 to 6 years postoperatively, the HRQOL was relatively stable. These results support the effectiveness of weight loss achieved with gastric bypass surgery for improving and maintaining long-term HRQOL.
authors.affiliation: Obesity and Quality of Life Consulting, Durham, North Carolina 27705, USA. rkolotkin@qualityoflifeconsulting.com
authors.forename: Ronette L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kolotkin
authors.forename: Lance E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Ross D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: Steven C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Ted D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss