Psychosocial Predictors of Weight Loss after Bariatric Surgery

Background: The authors investigated the predictive value of various parameters such as age, preoperative weight, eating behavior, psychiatric disorders, adverse childhood experiences and self-efficacy with regard to weight loss after gastric restrictive surgery. Methods: After a minimum follow-up of 30 months (median follow-up 50 months; range 30-84 months), a questionnaire concerning extent of, satisfaction with, and consequences of weight loss was mailed to 220 morbidly obese female patients following laparoscopic Swedish adjustable gastric banding (SAGB). Results: Questionnaires were completed and returned by 140 patients (63%). Average BMI loss was 14.6 kg/m². Most patients (85%) were happy with the extent of weight loss. Satisfaction with weight loss showed a significant correlation with extent of weight loss. BMI loss was greatest in the obese with an atypical eating disorder (20.0 kg/m²), and BMI loss was least in the obese with no eating-disordered behavior before surgery (13.4 kg/m²). Obese patients with two or more psychiatric disorders showed significantly less weight loss than did obese patients with one or no psychiatric disorder (BMI units 10.8 vs 14.0 vs 16.1; P=.047). Conclusions: The findings indicate a less successful outcome for obese patients with psychiatric disorders (particularly adjustment disorders, depression and/or personality disorders), compared to patients not mentally ill. An eating disorder preceding surgery, however, was not a negative predictor of success following bariatric surgery. To improve outcome of bariatric surgery in obese patients with psychiatric disorders, more individual psychosocial intervention strategies are necessary.