Background: Physical activity (PA) seems to be important for long-term weight loss following bariatric surgery, however, studies provide evidence for insufficient PA levels in bariatric patients. Research found self-efficacy to be associated with PA and weight bias internalization, whose influence on mental and physical health has been shown in recent studies. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of general self-efficacy on PA, mediated by weight bias internalization. Setting: Consecutive multicenter registry study conducted in six German bariatric surgery centers. Methods: In N = 179 bariatric surgery candidates, general self-efficacy, weight bias internalization, and different intensities of PA were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the assumed mediational relationship. Results: After controlling for sociodemographic variables, weight bias internalization fully mediated the association between general self-efficacy and moderate-intense as well as vigorous-intense PA. Lower general self-efficacy predicted greater weight bias internalization, which in turn predicted lower levels of moderate-intense and vigorous-intense PA. Conclusions: The results suggest an influence of weight bias internalization on preoperative PA in bariatric surgery candidates. Subsequently, implementation of interventions addressing weight bias internalization in the usual treatment of bariatric surgery candidates might enhance patients’ preoperative PA, while longitudinal analyses are needed in order to further examine its predictive value on PA following bariatric surgery.

Background: Physical activity (PA) seems to be important for long-term weight loss following bariatric surgery, however, studies provide evidence for insufficient PA levels in bariatric patients. Research found self-efficacy to be associated with PA and weight bias internalization, whose influence on mental and physical health has been shown in recent studies. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of general self-efficacy on PA, mediated by weight bias internalization. Setting: Consecutive multicenter registry study conducted in six German bariatric surgery centers. Methods: In N = 179 bariatric surgery candidates, general self-efficacy, weight bias internalization, and different intensities of PA were assessed by self-report questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the assumed mediational relationship. Results: After controlling for sociodemographic variables, weight bias internalization fully mediated the association between general self-efficacy and moderate-intense as well as vigorous-intense PA. Lower general self-efficacy predicted greater weight bias internalization, which in turn predicted lower levels of moderate-intense and vigorous-intense PA. Conclusions: The results suggest an influence of weight bias internalization on preoperative PA in bariatric surgery candidates. Subsequently, implementation of interventions addressing weight bias internalization in the usual treatment of bariatric surgery candidates might enhance patients’ preoperative PA, while longitudinal analyses are needed in order to further examine its predictive value on PA following bariatric surgery.