“Your own pace, your own path”: perspectives of adolescents navigating life after bariatric surgery

INTRODUCTION: Bariatric surgery, an established weight-loss tool, may be offered to some adolescents with severe obesity. However, few studies explore adolescents’ postoperative experiences beyond physical and metabolic outcomes and quality-of-life measures. METHODS: Between 2016 and 2021, 45 semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents (16–20 years) at 6 months (N = 15), 12 months (N = 15), and 24 months (N = 15) following bariatric surgery. A deductive thematic analysis framework was applied by two independent coders (Cronbach’s α = 0.84). Themes were identified and refined iteratively, and discrepancies were resolved through discussion. RESULTS: Five major themes emerged related to: (1) weight-loss expectations vs. reality, (2) social landscape, (3) body image, (4) eating and moving, and (5) challenges for long-term success. The pace of and satisfaction with weight loss and side effects was heterogenous among participants, with most changes occurring early and stabilizing by 24 months. Adolescents adapted over time to their new social landscapes (e.g., relationships) and reported improved body image and confidence, yet persistently struggled to reconcile their internal identity with evolving external perceptions and discomfort with new attention. Participants experienced changes to lifestyle routines after surgery (e.g., eating, moving, habits), which introduced distress at 6 months but resolved over time. Life transitions in early adulthood (e.g., moving away, university/college, employment), concurrent with their evolving and increasing autonomy, physical, social, and financial independence, imposed unexpected challenges to postoperative routines and support systems. Participants unanimously reaffirmed that bariatric surgery is a lifelong journey and that they were committed to long-term success. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide insight into optimizing adolescent selection for bariatric surgery and perioperative support. Specifically, important life transitions during this developmental period impact postoperative experiences and outcomes and adolescents may benefit from postoperative counseling focused on managing weight-loss expectations and adapting to evolving nutritional needs and changing social circumstances.