Rebuilding strength after weight-loss surgery

Weight-loss surgery — also called bariatric surgery — involves making changes to a person’s digestive system to help them lose weight. Bariatric surgery can be offered to people who haven’t been able to lose sufficient weight through diet and exercise and are experiencing weight-related health problems as a result.

We know that being physically active and maintaining muscle strength has many health benefits. However, there are currently no guidelines about physical activity or exercise recommendations for patients who have undergone bariatric surgery.

Physical activity and exercise are particularly important in this patient group. This is because they can provide a strategy for those whose response to surgery isn’t as good as expected or who regain weight after the procedure.

Project aims

This study aims to:

• Explore what advice patients who have recently (within past two years) undergone bariatric surgery are given about exercise and physical activity
• Explore barriers, motivators and knowledge around the benefits of physical activity in this patient group with a particular focus on muscle strengthening exercises

To do this we will:

• Review current evidence on the subject
• Survey people with lived experience of bariatric surgery about their physical activity and strength levels
• Conduct semi-structured interviews and focus groups (with patients and healthcare professionals)

What we hope to achieve

We hope that the evidence review and stakeholder work planned for this stage of the project will allow us to develop an intervention aimed at improving exercise and physical activity among patients who have undergone bariatric surgery.

This postgraduate research project is being undertaken by Lucy Huppler, as lead researcher, with Dr Karen Coulman, Professor Athene Lane, Mr Oliver Old and Professor Athanassios Bissas providing supervision.

The work is being funded by Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals Charity.