Medical, nutritional, and behavioral characteristics of patients experiencing weight regain following sleeve gastrectomy

Background: Weight regain (WR) following sleeve gastrectomy is linked to recurring health complications, warranting focused attention. Characterizing patients with WR while focusing on eating and lifestyle behaviors may help design future interventions. Objective: This study aimed to assess medical, nutritional, and behavioral characteristics of patients who experienced WR of ≥10% from nadir weight following primary SG, and to explore gender differences. Setting: Medical center. Methods: A cross-sectional data analysis was conducted. Information on anthropometrics, functionality, adherence to behavioral recommendations, dietary intake, and maladaptive eating behaviors were collected. Results: The study included 100 participants, 7.8l ± 2.8 years post-SG, 76% women, with a mean age of 49.8l ± 11.6 years, body mass index (BMI) of 33.1l ± 5.4 kg/m²at present, and 25.7l ± 13.4% WR from nadir weight. Up to 65% reported consistently following the eating recommendations. Protein intake targets of ≥60 gr/day, ≥1 gr/kg ideal body weight (IBW), and ≥1.5 gr/kg IBW were met by 74%, 50%, and 11%, respectively. Vitamin D insufficiency (<30 ng/ml) was observed among 82.7%; 57.1% had low blood ferritin levels (<30 ng/ml), 33.8% exhibited low transferrin saturation (<20%), and 25.5% were diagnosed with anemia. Adherence with daily multivitamin, ≥150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity/week, and 7-9 hours of sleep/night were 33%, 15%, and 35%, respectively. Symptoms of grazing and binge eating were reported by 67% and 32%, respectively. Some gender differences in behavioral adherence, maladaptive eating behaviors, and nutritional deficiencies were noted. Conclusions: Low adherence to eating and behavioral recommendations, nutritional deficiencies, and maladaptive eating behaviors were common among patients who experienced WR following primary SG, with notable gender differences.