Evaluating the Impact of a Virtual Health Coaching Lifestyle Program on Weight Loss after Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Prospective Study

Bariatric surgery (BS) is a leading treatment for obesity; however, adverse side effects (e.g., pain and infection) can deter patients or affect weight maintenance. This study investigates how a post-operative virtual health coaching lifestyle program, monitoring virtual weekly goal progress made by patients, affects weight loss after BS, specifically sleeve gastrectomy. Patients recruited for this 6-month study were classified with a BMI > 30 kg/m2 90 days post-operatively. Patients were prescribed lifestyle support delivered by certified health and wellness coaches (InHealth Lifestyle Therapeutics (TM)). Demographic variables (e.g., age, weight, height, and gender) were obtained and compared according to initial, 3-, 6-month, and current weight through repeated measures ANOVA and post hoc comparison. Thirty-eight adult participants were included, with a mean age of 52 years +/- 12.9 and with a majority (n = 35; 97%) of them being female. There were significant differences in weight reported across all five time points (p < 0.05), with the greatest weight difference seen between the initial (250.3 +/- 45.5 lbs.) and final time points (226.7 +/- 40.4 lbs.). This study suggests post-operative virtual health coaching can enhance weight loss outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy. Further research is needed to assess the long-term effects and cost-effectiveness of such a form of coaching for bariatric surgery patients.