ABSTRACT
The acceptance and popularity of bariatric surgery have grown due to increases in the prevalence of obesity, advances in surgical techniques, and mounting evidence of the benefits of surgery. In light of the sharp increase in the number of bariatric surgeries performed each year, efforts to optimize patient outcomes will have a direct public health impact (Herron & Bloomberg, 2006; Kelly et al., 2005). We have argued that although bariatric surgery is an undeniably powerful intervention, patients would benefit from lifestyle interventions to promote compliance to the behavioral changes required consequent to surgery (Kalarchian & Marcus, 2003). This chapter will describe the rationale for and content of a preoperative lifestyle intervention developed specifically for bariatric surgery patients. There is compelling evidence to suggest that modest preoperative weight loss in the context of a comprehensive lifestyle intervention will minimize complications after operation and promote self-regulation of eating and activity behaviors needed for long-term weight loss (Kalarchian & Marcus, 2009, 2010).
