Bariatric Surgery Tied to Improvement in Performing Household Tasks

TUESDAY, June 9, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Bariatric surgery is associated with improved home management within the first year of surgery and is sustained for the long term, according to a study published online April 18 in BMC Medicine.

Petra Brembeck, Ph.D., from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues investigated the long-term association between bariatric surgery and the ability to perform household tasks. The analysis included 1,641 patients undergoing bariatric surgery and 1,656 controls receiving usual obesity care participating in the Swedish Obese Subjects study with 20-year follow-up data.

The researchers found that at baseline, those in the surgery group had higher scores for the Home Management category of the Sickness Impact Profile scales, indicating greater home management dysfunction. However, within the first year, the surgery group showed significant improvement, attaining a lower score than the control group (4.9 versus 7.0). This improvement persisted throughout the study period (adjusted score difference, − 3.2). Similar trajectories were seen for dysfunction in home management among both sexes, although women consistently reported greater dysfunction than men. During follow-up, those in the surgery group who regained weight reported significantly higher dysfunction in home management compared with those who maintained weight (adjusted score difference, 1.3).

“Household task ability represents a previously underrecognized dimension of the functional benefits of bariatric surgery, underscoring the lasting impact of significant weight loss on daily functioning and overall quality of life,” the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text