A new study compares Bariatric patients with obese patients who have lost weight by changing their diet and exercise. The study published by the International Journal of Obesity, compares the two methods of losing weight—surgical and non surgical. According to the researchers from Miriam Hospital's Centres for Behavioural and Preventive Medicine, patients who believed in non-surgical methods, had to work harder over a longer duration to maintain their weight losses.

“Our findings suggest that it's possible to maintain large weight loss through intensive behavioural efforts, such as changing your approach to eating and exercise, regardless of whether you lost weight with bariatric surgery or through non-surgical methods,” said co-author Dale Bond, Miriam Hospital's Centres. “Behavioural modifications and lifestyle changes are critical components to long-term weight loss maintenance,” he added.  

Researchers matched one surgical patient with two non-surgical patients through the National Weight Control Registry. At the beginning of the study, all patients lost an average of 60 kg and had maintained their weight loss for an average of 5.5 years. According to Miriam press release, weight-related information was collected at one and two-year follow-up and it was found that there were no significant differences in the amount of weight regained between the surgical and non-surgical groups; both regaining an average of about 2 kg every year.