Dietary intake and eating behavior after bariatric surgery: threats to weight loss maintenance and strategies for success

During the past decade, bariatric surgery has become an increasingly popular treatment option for the growing number of individuals with extreme obesity. For most individuals, the size and durability of the weight loss and improvements in co-morbidity and mortality have far surpassed those typically seen with behavioral modification and pharmacotherapy. A significant minority of patients, however, will experience suboptimal outcomes, including less than expected weight loss, premature weight regain, and frequent vomiting and/or gastric dumping. The reasons for these outcomes are not well understood, but likely involve both behavioral and physiologic processes. The present review highlights current knowledge on the changes in dietary intake and eating behavior that occur after bariatric surgery in terms of the potential threats these changes might pose to long-term postoperative success. The paper also identifies several strategies from the nonsurgical weight loss literature that might help optimize long-term weight maintenance after surgery.