title: Sexual life after weight loss surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous research revealed a relationship between higher body mass index (BMI) and lower sexual functioning. However, the role of psychosocial variables, such as body image, in this relationship has been understudied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess sexual life before and after weight loss surgery (WLS) and examine the role of body image and BMI in these changes.
  
  
  METHODS
  WLS center at a major urban community hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  327 participants (275 women and 52 men) who underwent either laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (n = 225) or laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (n = 102) were assessed on measures of sexual life preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. The number of completers were n = 126 at 1-month follow-up, n = 84 at 3 months, n = 86 at 6 months, n = 84 at 12 months, and n = 55 at 24 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase in quality of sexual life over time, F(5,479.5) = 24.3, P<.001. Greater body image dissatisfaction predicted lower quality of sexual life when controlling for BMI, F(1,580.3) = 36.9, P<.001, but BMI did not predict quality of sexual life when controlling for body dissatisfaction, F(1,566.6)<.01, P = .94. A mediation analysis revealed that the relationship BMI had with sexual life was through its influence on body dissatisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants experienced improvements in quality of sexual life over time after WLS, and decrease in body image dissatisfaction was the strongest predictor of these improvements. These results underscore the importance of body image, independent of weight loss, in postsurgical sexual life.
authors.affiliation: Mt Sinai St. Luke's Hospital, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, New York, New York. Electronic address: drconason@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Conason
authors.affiliation: St. John Fisher College, Department of Psychology, Rochester, New York.
authors.forename: Kimberly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: McClure Brenchley
authors.affiliation: Fordham University, Graduate School of Education, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.affiliation: Mt. Sinai St. Luke's Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychology, Touro College and University System, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geliebter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D015391:Gastroplasty / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior
keywords: Bariatric surgery; Body image; Sexual life; Weight loss surgery