OBJECTIVES: Significant health risks impact on individuals with morbid obesity including deleterious effects on health related quality of life (HRQOL). A mono-centric prospective study was conducted to evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery and morbid obesity on HRQOL. METHODS: Data were collected from 236 participants: 83 patients who were under consideration for bariatric surgery, 68 patients who already have had a bariatric procedure and 85 volunteers.  Participants were asked to complete Bariatric and Obesity Specific Survey (BOSS), Short Form Health survey (SF-36), Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) scale, Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of life Questionnaire (M-A QoLQ II), and a demographic data sheet. RESULTS: Obese people displayed lower levels of HRQOL compared to non-obese people with an almost linear negative relationship between body mass index (BMI) and HRQOL. Obese females with BMI between 30 and 40 were more susceptible to the adverse effects of obesity compared to males, particularly in the domains of “Incapacity” and “Sexual Health”. There was no statistically significant HRQOL difference, however, between men and women in the non obese (BMI < 30) and morbid obesity (BMI > 40).  “Appearance and Health” and “Sexual Health” domains were comparable between patients who had surgery and the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Females are more susceptible to the adverse effects of weight compared to males up to certain weight level after which gender equity in adversity becomes the norm. The domains of “Appearance and Health” and “Sexual Health” are the quickest domains that will recover from the negative impact of obesity following bariatric surgery.