The long-term psychological impact of disclosing (or not) laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery

Objective: Individuals opting for bariatric surgery to assist with weight loss face stigma from a variety of sources. This stigma influences individuals' decisions for disclosing (or not) their surgical intentions. To date, the psychological impact on disclosure or nondisclosure has not been explored. Method: As part of a longitudinal study exploring the impact of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), 31 participants (aged between 32 and 60 years) completed three validated psychometric scales (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Derriford Appearance Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life scale) seven times over a 5-year period. Results: Significant positive differences were found on all the psychometric measures across time compared with the preoperative scores; however, no differences between disclosure groups were present. Relationships between psychometric measures and weight were only found in the disclosure group. Conclusion: LAGB surgery is likely to have a positive impact on psychological health, and the decision to disclose (or not) surgery is an individual's choice that does not seem to affect mental health outcomes.