Postoperative BMI Differences in Patients With an Insecure Attachment to Close Family Members With a History of Bariatric Surgery

With the rise in metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), many patients likely have family members who also underwent MBS, yet how attachment to these relatives affects surgical outcomes remains unclear. Understanding this relationship is crucial, as attachment influences emotional regulation, self-efficacy, and behavior change—key factors in long-term weight management and surgical success. This study examined whether attachment styles influenced body mass index (BMI) changes from presurgery to 6 months postsurgery in 123 MBS patients. Patients with higher avoidant attachment to a family member who had MBS had higher BMI at intake (b = 3.16) but showed more rapid weight loss over 6 months (b = − 2.02). Anxious attachment was unrelated to intake BMI but predicted less favorable BMI trajectories over 6 months (b = 0.82). Findings underscore the importance of considering attachment dynamics in families where multiple members have undergone MBS.