Binge eating in bariatric surgery patients.
OBJECTIVE
Eating behavior, attitudes toward eating and body weight and shape, and depression were assessed in a sample of 64 morbidly obese gastric bypass surgery candidates.


METHODS
The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), and the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) were administered at the first preoperative visit.


RESULTS
Twenty-five subjects (39%) reported at least one binge episode per week on average over the 3 months prior to seeking treatment. Binge eaters had significantly higher TFEQ Disinhibition and Hunger scores than nonbinge eaters. Binge eaters also differed from nonbinge eaters in terms of attitudes toward eating, shape, and weight.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant number of gastric bypass surgery candidates report binge eating. The findings are consistent with other studies showing binge eaters to be a distinctive subgroup of the obese.
Kalarchian
M A
MA
Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, USA.
Wilson
G T
GT
Brolin
R E
RE
Bradley
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires