Quality of life of obese patients after treatment with the insertion of intra-gastric balloon versus Atkins diet in Sulaimani Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life of obese patients, before and after weight loss by insertion of BioEnterics Intra-gastric Balloon is studied widely. But the quality of life not related to comorbidity of the obese patients like mood, satisfaction with relationships, achieved goals, self-concepts, and self-perceived ability to cope with one's daily life is not studied on a wide scale. AIM: To evaluates the effect of the obesity on different aspects of life, and to evaluate the influence of weight loss after BIB insertion or Atkins diet on the quality of life regarding mood, satisfaction with relationships, achieved goals, self-concepts, and self-perceived ability to cope with one's daily life. PATIENTS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: A prospective randomized study, from a total of 180 patients, 80 patients were selected to enroll in the work, over a period of 4 years from 2008 to 2012 in Hatwan private hospital and the private clinic, the closing date was 1st January 2013. Approval for the current work was obtained from the Ethics Committee of University, College of Medicine. The work has been reported in line with the STROCSS criteria. The study was designed as a descriptive longitudinal study conducted on 40 patients who underwent intra-gastric balloon insertion compared to a matched group (for age, BMI) of 40 patients on Atkin's diet. RESULTS: Two comparable groups of obese patients were studied, each group consists of 40 female patients, mean age in group A was 27 years (20–39 years) with mean body weight 90 kg (80–100) and mean body mass index 36 (31–39.9) who were treated with insertion of BIB. While mean age in group B was 29 years (20–39 years) with mean body weight 91 kg (80–102) and mean body mass index 36.5 (31–39.9). Statistically important changes occurred in the quality of life of the patients after either method of treatments to different degrees (p-value 0.005917). CONCLUSION: The patients lost more weight after insertion of intra-gastric balloon up to 35 kg of body weight, while the patients on Atkins diet lost up to 20 kg body weight. This results in statistically significant improvement of most aspects of QOL. Especially in Feeling happier, more satisfaction with the new body image, Improvement of self-esteem, encouraged for more regular exercises, less nervous, embarrassed less by unimportant matters, have less negative thoughts, and the craving of foods decreased remarkably.