Changes in eating behaviour and food choices in families where the mother undergoes gastric bypass surgery for obesity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: There is a lack of research exploring the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery on the patient's family's eating behaviour and food choices. The aim of the current study was to investigate changes in partners' and children's eating behaviour and food choices following maternal RYGB.

SUBJECTS/METHODS: Sixty-nine women and their families were recruited from RYGB waiting lists at five Swedish surgical clinics. Data were collected during home visits 3 months before and 9 months after RYGB. Anthropometrical measures were taken, the adults completed the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire and the children completed the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT). All participants also completed a short food frequency questionnaire.

RESULTS

Changes in scores were analysed using paired t-tests for unadjusted estimates or linear regression models with robust variance (General Estimating Equations) in order to enable age- and sex-adjusted estimates for the children. There were no meaningful differences in the partners' eating behaviour or food choices. The boys, but not the girls, improved their ChEAT scores, as did the overweight/obese children in comparison with the normal-weight children. The boys, unlike the girls, also decreased their intake of soft drinks, as did the normal-weight children when compared with the overweight/obese children.

CONCLUSIONS

No clear-cut changes were found in partners' eating behaviour and food choices. Eating attitudes and soft drinks intake were improved among boys but not among girls. Differing modelling behaviour may partially explain these findings, but available data did not allow us to understand the underlying mechanisms.