“I would have sold my soul to the devil!” – Bariatric surgery and damaged identity restoration: a qualitative investigation

Sicilia, Á, Socías-Serrano, M-L and Griffiths, MD ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-6524, 2025. “I would have sold my soul to the devil!” – Bariatric surgery and damaged identity restoration: a qualitative investigation. Journal of Health Psychology. ISSN 1359-1053

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Abstract

The decision to undergo bariatric surgery remains contentious. Despite high demand, patients face long waits and requirements focused primarily on biomedical parameters (high BMI, diabetes, hypertension), ignoring factors such as social stigma and negative body image that impair mental health. The present study draws on interviews with 23 patients undergoing bariatric surgery to examine the significance of living in a fat body and how this shaped their decision-making. Employing reflexive thematic analysis within a critical realist framework, the findings show a prolonged trajectory of suffering marked by a paradox of hyper-(in)visibility. Participants reported feeling constantly scrutinized yet simultaneously dismissed due to their stigmatized bodies. For them, bariatric surgery was more than a medical intervention; it was a means to reassert agency and reconstruct a damaged identity in a society marginalizing fat bodies. This underscores the importance of integrating identity, agency, and social context into discussions about bariatric surgery.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Journal of Health Psychology
Creators:	Sicilia, Á., Socías-Serrano, M.-L. and Griffiths, M.D.
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Date:	28 October 2025
ISSN:	1359-1053
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1177/13591053251384862 DOI 2521077 Other
Rights:	This Accepted Version of the article is protected by copyright and reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Social Sciences
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	04 Nov 2025 14:57
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2025 14:57
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/54676

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