Cognitive Behavioral Intervention in patients who experience weight regain after Bariatric Surgery: a group and online Controlled Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) through online intervention with patients who regained weight two years after bariatric surgery. METHOD: a convenience sample was obtained from a University Bariatric Surgery Center. Patients who underwent bariatric surgery more than 2 years ago at this institute were selected through the medical records, in order to verify those who had regained weight. Of the total of 142 patients, 33 were identified who had regained 15% of the total weight from the lowest weight achieved after the surgical procedure (nadir). Thirteen participants who were unwilling to participate in the intervention were excluded. The 20 patients who met the weight regain criterion adopted in the study were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 (Intervention), underwent 8 sessions of online Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (TCCG/O) and Group 2 (Control), watched three online lectures (GC/O). The participants of both groups were evaluated before (T0) and after the intervention (T1). An assessment of symptoms of depression (BDI-II), anxiety (GAD-7), binge eating (BES) and body mass variations was performed. RESULTS: there was a significant reduction in symptoms of depression and binge eating in both groups, but no variations in body mass and anxiety symptoms were identified. CONCLUSION: this study indicated the feasibility of two short-term intervention modalities using the online cognitive-behavioral approach in patients who underwent bariatric surgery and regained weight.