EP530 - Facial Features after Weight Loss (FACE-WL) Study: A Protocol for a 1- year Multicentre Longitudinal Prospective Study

Abstract Introduction Obesity is a pressing public health concern and various effective interventions have been implemented for weight loss in patients with obesity. The effect of weight loss is not restricted to only limbs and trunks but the changes in the anatomy of the face and facial structure have received limited attention. In view of the paucity of studies examining facial feature changes after weight loss, the FACE-WL study aims to examine the facial changes for patients post weight loss. Methods The FACE-WL study is a multicentre 1-year longitudinal prospective cohort study, within a real-world routine clinical care setting aiming to recruit 500 patients after losing weight via either conservative, medical or surgical management. Photos of patients’ faces would be taken pre-intervention (T0) and post intervention after 3 (T1), 6 (T2), 9 (T3) and 12 months (T4), coincide with normal follow-up care visits. Photographs will be analysed using the Emotrics software, which automatically identifies facial landmarks and computes differences in position. Participants’ sociodemographic data, health-related quality of life, clinical outcome, and surgical data if applicable will be completed by the study team at the baseline visit and subsequent follow-up visit. Ethics And Dissemination Its results will be disseminated through manuscripts in clinical/academic journals and presentations at professional conferences, and through participant and stakeholder communications.