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Prevalence and Correlates of Food Addiction in Bariatric Surgery Candidates and Its Effect on Bariatric Surgery Outcome: A Prospective Observational Study

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Abstract

Purpose

Studies have shown a high prevalence of food addiction (FA) in bariatric surgery candidates. This study examines prevalence of FA prior to and one year after bariatric surgery and the determinants of preoperative FA. Additionally, this study investigates how preoperative variables affect excess weight loss (EWL) one year after bariatric surgery.

Materials and Methods

This prospective observational study included 102 patients at an obesity surgery clinic. Self-report measures, including demographic characteristics, the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) were used two weeks before and one year after surgery.

Results

The FA prevalence among bariatric surgery candidates decreased from 43.6% before surgery to 9.7% one year after surgery. Among independent variables, female gender and anxiety symptoms were associated with FA (OR = 4.20, 95% CI: 1.35–24.16, p = 0.028 and OR = 5.29, 95% CI: 1.49–18.81, p = 0.010, respectively). Only gender had a significant association with %EWL after surgery (p = 0.022); females had a higher mean %EWL than males.

Conclusion

FA is common among candidates for bariatric surgery, especially in women and participants with anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of FA, emotional eating, and external eating decreased after bariatric surgery.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the head of bariatric surgery clinic of Rasoul-e Akram Hospital for her assistance in recruiting patients.

Funding

Not appilcable

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14456-13131, Iran

    Razieh Salehian

  2. Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14456-13131, Iran

    Atefeh Ghanbari Jolfaei

  3. School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 19857-1744, Iran

    Maryam Mansoursamaei

  4. School of Medicine, Shahroud University of Medical Science, Shahroud, 36147-73943, Iran

    Ali Mansoursamaei

  5. Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute (PHRI), Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14496-14535, Iran

    Mehrdad Vossoughi

  6. Mental Health Research Center, Psychosocial Health Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14456-13131, Iran

    Mahdieh Elyasi Galeshi

Authors
  1. Razieh Salehian
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mahdieh Elyasi Galeshi.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran (code: IR.IUMS.FMD.REC.1399.396).

Consent to Participate

Patients agreed to participate in the study after receiving a verbal explanation and providing informed consent in accordance with the ethical standards of the university.

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The authors declare no conflict of interests.

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Key points

FA is highly prevalent among bariatric surgery candidates.

FA is more prevalent among women and those who have anxiety.

The prevalence of FA decreases after bariatric surgery.

The presence of FA prior to surgery has no effect on %EWL.

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Salehian, R., Ghanbari Jolfaei, A., Mansoursamaei, M. et al. Prevalence and Correlates of Food Addiction in Bariatric Surgery Candidates and Its Effect on Bariatric Surgery Outcome: A Prospective Observational Study. OBES SURG 33, 2090–2097 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-023-06621-3

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