Control of Eating Attributes and Weight Loss Outcomes over One Year After Sleeve Gastrectomy

Purpose: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is a commonly performed metabolic-bariatric surgery, but its effectiveness is variable and difficult to predict. Our study aimed to compare control of eating (CoE) attributes pre- and post-SG depending on the achievement of optimal weight loss target at 1 year post-SG.

Materials and methods: A prospective longitudinal cohort study using the CoE Questionnaire, pre-SG, and postoperatively at 3, 6, and 12 months was conducted. Total weight loss (TWL) ≥ 25% at 12 months post-SG was set as an optimal weight loss target.

Results: Forty-one patients (80.5% females, mean age 41.7 ± 10.6) were included. Sex, age, baseline weight, BMI, and smoking status were all comparable. At 3 months post-SG, "difficulty to control eating" score became significantly different between ≥ 25%TWL and < 25%TWL groups (7 [0-50] vs. 17 [5-63], p = 0.042). At 6 months, it was followed by "feeling of fullness," "frequency of food cravings," and "difficulty to resist cravings" demonstrating significant differences between ≥ 25%TWL and < 25%TWL groups. At 12 months, significant differences between groups were observed in "feeling hungry," "difficulty to resist cravings," "eating in response to cravings," and difficulty to control eating scores.

Conclusion: Individuals with obesity who achieved a target of ≥ 25%TWL at 1 year post-SG have an early improvement in overall eating control at 3 months that steadily persists at 6 and 12 months. Improvements in other aspects tend to follow later, at 6 and 12 months. These findings may assist in identifying individuals with inadequate response to help attain optimal weight loss targets and developing a prognostic model to identify predictors of successful weight loss.