Introduction: the investigators present an investigation about the impact of COVID-19 on individuals suffering from severe obesity that were in the waiting list for bariatric surgery. Worldwide and in Italy bariatric procedures are considered as elective surgery and therefore were interrupted during the lockdown. The patients are well-known victim of stigma, social discrimination and the majority of them is affected by maladaptive eating behaviors that are supposed to worsen due to the isolation, absence of healthcare check-up and alarming pandemic scenario.the investigators performed telephonic interview providing an ad hoc questionnaire with the aim to explore their emotional and physical status.~Method: A total of 116 bariatric surgery candidates were approached using a telephonic interview during the Italian lockdown.
From the beginning of March 2020, lockdown regimens prevented patients with obesity from receiving bariatric surgery. Surgical emergencies and oncological procedures were the only operations allowed in public hospitals. Consequently, patients with morbid obesity were put in a stand-by situation. With the aim at exploring physical and psychological conditions of the investigators future bariatric surgery patients, the investigators built a Questionnaire concerning obesity and COVID-19.