Impact of Weight Loss on Olfaction in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

• Published in: Obesity surgery 2024-10
• Main Authors: Khreesha, Lubna, Rashdan, Mohammad, Al-Rawashdeh, Baeth, Sawalha, Amer, Rabab'a, Hammam, Al-Labadi, Ghayda'a, Alshoubaki, Sara, Alananzeh, Lara, Di'bas, Rahaf, Karadsheh, Sara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0960-8923; 1708-0428; 1708-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/s11695-024-07551-4

Olfaction plays a vital role in regulating nutrition, avoiding potentially dangerous situations, and modulating behavior along with interpersonal relationships. Many common disorders can have a negative impact on olfaction; one of these is obesity. Bariatric surgery induces weight loss, and current evidence suggests that it can cause improvement in olfaction. However, more information is needed regarding this topic. One hundred eighty-five patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 184 age- and gender-matched control group who did not undergo any surgery have completed a questionnaire including items from the validated Self-Reported Mini Olfactory Questionnaire. Final analysis was based on 369 patients. There was a statistically significant difference between patients before and after surgery (p  50% excess body weight loss after surgery showed olfactory function as good as the general population represented by the control group. However, those with