“Take Me through the History of Your Weight”: Using Qualitative Interviews to Create Personalized Weight Trajectories to Understand the Development of Obesity in Patients Preparing for Bariatric Surgery

The development of obesity does not follow the same pattern for all individuals. Weight gain patterns can be explained by the timing of life-course events, stressors, and the type and effects of environmental transitions. Weight management counseling should include strategies tailored to an individual's current life-stage and circumstance, but also acknowledge previous responses to transitions and stressors.