The Real Reason Why Mental Health Improves After Weight-Loss Surgery
A new study published in the journal Health Psychology has determined the precise reason one's mental health improves following weight-loss surgery.
Lead researcher Larissa McGarrity, a clinical psychologist at University of Utah Health who studies mental health after weight-loss surgery, found that getting rid of the stigma surrounding excess weight, rather than the weight loss itself, is the reason many people feel an improvement in their mental health and a decrease in disordered eating following surgery. Conversely, those who underwent weight loss surgery but still continued to face weight-related stigma were at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, and disordered eating.
Of the 148 patients surveyed, all underwent bariatric surgery. Data was collected before the surgery, as well as 18–36 months afterward. Over 90 percent of the patients reported experiencing weight-related stigma prior to the procedure, while about 60 percent experienced less stigma after the surgery. Those who experienced less stigma saw an improvement in their mental health and physical wellbeing. However, the 40 percent who continued to experience stigma were found to be at higher risk for depression, disordered eating, and weight increases."There's considerable evidence that societal weight stigma is prevalent and has harmful health consequences for people with obesity," Rebecca Puhl, deputy director for the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health at the University of Connecticut, told Live Science. "This new study begins to address this research gap.' (Puhl was not involved in this study.)
McGarrity emphasized that the study cannot directly establish cause and effect because the patient's experiences were self-reported. However, the results of this study suggest that "bariatric surgery patients are not immune to the effects of weight stigma, even years after surgery, even after significant amounts of weight loss.' Both Puhl and McGarrity agree that more research is needed in order to understand how weight-related stigma can affect overall patient health and treatment.
The Real Reason Why Mental Health Improves After Weight-Loss Surgery first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 15, 2025
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