Intuitive Eating Intervention After Bariatric Surgery

September 30, 2026 updated by: Acibadem University

Effects of an Intuitive Eating Intervention on Body Weight, Body Image, and Eating Attitudes in Women Who Regained Weight After Bariatric Surgery

This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) in individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery and examined the effects of a 6-week online intuitive eating intervention. The study consisted of two stages. In the first stage, 297 adults aged 18-65 years who had undergone bariatric surgery were included to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Turkish IES-2. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability were assessed. In the second stage, a 6-week prospective, non-randomized controlled intervention study was conducted among 60 individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery at least two years previously and had regained at least 20% of their maximum weight loss. Participants received either an online intuitive eating intervention or standard nutritional counseling. Outcomes included intuitive eating behaviors, eating attitudes, body perception, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). The Turkish IES-2 demonstrated a valid and reliable three-factor, 17-item structure. The intervention was associated with improvements in intuitive eating behaviors and reductions in eating attitude scores, while no significant changes were observed in body weight or BMI. The findings suggest that an online intuitive eating intervention may improve intuitive eating behaviors and some eating attitudes among individuals who regain weight after bariatric surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for severe obesity; however, weight regain may occur in a proportion of individuals following surgery and may be accompanied by difficulties in eating behaviors, body perception, and eating attitudes. Intuitive eating is an approach that emphasizes responding to internal hunger and satiety cues, reducing reliance on restrictive eating rules, and developing a more adaptive relationship with food. This approach may be relevant to individuals who experience weight regain after bariatric surgery.

This study was designed in two stages. The first stage focused on evaluating the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Intuitive Eating Scale-2 (IES-2) among individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery. The second stage investigated whether a 6-week online intuitive eating intervention could improve intuitive eating behaviors and eating-related outcomes in individuals who had experienced weight regain following bariatric surgery.

The intervention was based on the principles of intuitive eating and was delivered online over six weeks. The intervention aimed to support participants in recognizing and responding to internal hunger and satiety cues, reducing rigid dietary rules, developing a more positive relationship with food and body, and increasing awareness of eating-related behaviors and emotions. The intervention group was compared with participants receiving standard nutritional counseling.

The study was conducted to provide evidence regarding the applicability of intuitive eating as a behavioral approach for individuals experiencing weight regain after bariatric surgery and to contribute to the assessment of intuitive eating in this population using a culturally appropriate measurement instrument.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

60

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female participants aged 18 to 65 years.
  • Previous sleeve gastrectomy performed at least 2 years before enrollment.
  • Regain of at least 20% of the maximum weight lost after bariatric surgery.
  • Voluntary participation in the study.
  • Provision of written informed consent before participation.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Stenosis related to the bariatric surgical procedure during or after surgery.
  • Any surgical complication that could affect nutritional intake.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intuitive Eating Intervention

Participants in this arm received a 6-week intuitive eating intervention designed to improve intuitive eating behaviors and eating-related attitudes following weight regain after bariatric surgery. The intervention focused on recognizing internal hunger and satiety cues, reducing rigid dietary rules, increasing awareness of eating behaviors and emotions, and developing a more adaptive relationship with food and body.
Behavioral: Intuitive Eating Intervention

A 6-week intuitive eating intervention consisting of weekly online group sessions, individual intuitive eating counseling sessions, and supportive materials delivered through an online messaging platform. The intervention was adapted for individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery and addressed intuitive eating principles, hunger and satiety awareness, eating behaviors, emotional eating, body respect, self-compassion, mindful eating, joyful movement, and gentle nutrition.
Active Comparator: Standard Nutritional Counseling

Participants in this arm received standard nutritional counseling during the study period. The counseling represented the usual nutritional guidance provided to individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery and was used as the comparison condition for the online intuitive eating intervention.
Behavioral: Standard Nutritional Counseling

Weekly one-on-one nutrition counseling provided by an experienced bariatric dietitian for 6 weeks. Standard nutritional recommendations for weight regain following bariatric surgery were provided throughout the follow-up period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Intuitive Eating Score
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention

Change in total score of the Turkish 17-item Intuitive Eating Scale for Bariatric Surgery (IES-BS) from baseline to post-intervention.
Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Eating Attitudes
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention

Change in the total score of the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) from baseline to post-intervention. Higher scores indicate more problematic eating attitudes.
Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention
Change in Body Image
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention

Change in body image/body perception score from baseline to post-intervention, assessed using Body Perception Scale .
Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention
Change in Body Mass Index
Time Frame: Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention

Change in body mass index (BMI), calculated as body weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²), from baseline to post-intervention.
Baseline and immediately after the 6-week intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Acibadem University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

July 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 25, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 30, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

October 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

October 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 30, 2026

Last Verified

September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ATADEK 2023-21/761

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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