surgery

Bariatric surgery patients tended to maintain healthier lifestyle habits compared with peers who were eligible but had not received this treatment, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

People approximately 7 years out of bariatric surgery reported more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) than those who were eligible but did not undergo the operation (average 147.9 minutes per week vs 97.4 minutes per week), as well as lower total energy intake (1,746 calories per day vs 2,040 calories per day).

Yet they did not significantly perform better in meeting physical activity requirements (23.1% vs 20.3%) or eating healthy (Healthy Eating Index score 50.0 vs 48.0), according to propensity-matched analyses by Young-Rock Hong, PhD, MPH, of the University of Florida in Gainesville, and colleagues. Their report was published in JAMA Network Open.

The surgical group also fared worse than a nonsurgical group at normal weight in