title: Psychological predictors of mental health and health-related quality of life after bariatric surgery: a review of the recent research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Improvement of mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important success criterion for bariatric surgery. In general, mental health and HRQOL improve after surgery, but some patients experience negative psychological reactions postoperatively and the influence of pre-surgical psychological factors on mental wellbeing after surgery is unclear. The aim of the current article therefore is to review recent research investigating psychological predictors of mental health and HRQOL outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science for studies investigating psychological predictors of either mental health or HRQOL after bariatric surgery. Original prospective studies published between 2003 and 2012 with a sample size >30 and a minimum of 1 year follow-up were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 10 eligible studies were identified. The findings suggest that preoperative psychological factors including psychiatric symptoms, body image and self-esteem may be important for mental health postoperatively. Predictors of postoperative HRQOL seem to include personality, severe psychiatric disorder at baseline and improvement of depressive symptoms. In addition, psychiatric symptoms that persist after surgery and inappropriate eating behaviour postoperatively are likely to contribute to poor health-related quality of life outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Certain psychological factors appear to be important for mental health and HRQOL after bariatric surgery. However, the literature is extremely sparse and further research is highly needed.
authors.affiliation: Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: cathrinelawaetz.wimmelmann@sund.ku.dk.
authors.forename: Cathrine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wimmelmann
authors.affiliation: Systems Biology Research Section, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dela
authors.affiliation: Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Erik L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Mortensen
mesh_terms: D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Bariatric surgery; Health-related quality of life; Mental health; Obesity; Predictors