title: Psychological and health comorbidities before and after bariatric surgery: a longitudinal study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Morbid obesity has multiple implications for psychological and physical health. Bariatric surgery has been selected as the treatment of choice for this chronic disease, despite the controversial impact of the surgery on psychosocial health. The objective of this study was to describe candidates for bariatric surgery and analyze changes in weight, psychopathology, personality, and health problems and complaints at 6- and 12- month follow-up assessments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty obese patients (20 women and 10 men) with a mean age of 39.17±8.81 years were evaluated in different dimensions before surgery and 6 and 12 months after the procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six and 12 months after bariatric surgery, patients reported significant weight loss and a significant reduction in the number of health problems and complaints. The rates of self-reported psychopathology were low before surgery, and there were no statistically significant changes over time. The conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness dimensions increased, but neuroticism and openness remained unchanged. All changes had a medium effect size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that patients experience significant health improvements and some positive personality changes after bariatric surgery. Even though these findings underscore the role of bariatric surgery as a relevant treatment for morbid obesity, more in-depth longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the evolution of patients after the procedure.
authors.affiliation: School of Management and Industrial Studies, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana Sofia Pereira da
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Center for Research in Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Portugal.
authors.forename: Angela da Costa
authors.initials: Ada C
authors.lastname: Maia