Binge eating among gastric bypass patients at long-term follow-up.
BACKGROUND
A better understanding of the relationship of eating behavior and attitudes to weight loss following gastric bypass (GBP) will enable the development of interventions to improve outcome. Thus, the present study sought to characterize the postoperative weight, eating behavior, and attitudes toward body shape and weight in a cross-section of GBP patients. A second objective was to examine the relationship of postoperative binge eating to surgery outcome.


METHODS
99 patients who underwent GBP > 2 and < 7 years before the study start date completed the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ). Subjects self-reported their current body weight, weight change over the past 3 months, and lowest weight since surgery.


RESULTS
BMI remained significantly below the preoperative level, but significant weight regain was reported at long-term follow-up. 46% of participants reported recurrent loss of control over eating (objective or subjective bulimic episodes) on the EDE-Q. These patients constituted a distinctive subgroup with a less favorable outcome, including greater weight regain.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reported loss of control over eating was related to weight regain after GBP and may be an important target for clinical intervention. The relationship of binge eating and related psychopathology to outcome following GBP warrants further investigation.
Kalarchian
Melissa A
MA
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. kalarchianma@msx.upmc.edu
Marcus
Marsha D
MD
Wilson
G Terence
GT
Labouvie
Erich W
EW
Brolin
Robert E
RE
LaMarca
Lisa B
LB
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002032:Bulimia / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015390:Gastric Bypass / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss