This is a randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a preoperative lifestyle intervention that targets diet, exercise, and preparation for surgery as an adjunct to the surgical treatment of obesity. Patients will be randomized to a 6-month lifestyle intervention (n = 100) or to usual care (n = 100) prior to undergoing bariatric surgery. We aim to evaluate the effect of the intervention on select pre- and postoperative outcomes. We hypothesize that patients who participate in the preoperative intervention will exhibit greater improvements in weight and related outcomes and better preparation for surgery than those who receive usual care. After operation, we hypothesize that patients who participate in the intervention will exhibit better compliance and fewer behavior-related eating problems, as well as a lower rate of complications and fewer outpatient visits with surgery-related conditions than those who received usual preoperative care. Our secondary aim is to determine whether the intervention affects weight/BMI trajectory through 24 months after operation.
