Loss-of-control eating following sleeve gastrectomy surgery

Abstract

BackgroundPostoperative loss-of-control (LOC) eating is related to poorer weight loss outcomes after bariatric surgery, but little is known about LOC eating after sleeve gastrectomy surgery. ObjectivesTo examine LOC eating severity and weight loss after sleeve gastrectomy SettingUniversity School of Medicine, United States MethodsParticipants were 71 individuals (84.5% female; n = 60) who underwent sleeve gastrectomy surgery within the previous 4 to 9 months and reported LOC eating at least once weekly during the previous 28 days. LOC eating was assessed using the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) Bariatric Surgery Version. Current mean age and body mass index were 47.3 (SD = 10.1) years and 37.9 (SD = 8.2) kg/m2. Two groups, bariatric binge-eating disorder (Bar-BED) and loss-of-control eating only (LOC-only), were created based on modified binge-eating disorder (BED) criteria, which excluded the “unusually large quantity of food” criterion due to limited gastric capacity postsurgery. Bar-BED criteria mirrored BED criteria and consisted of the following: at least 12 LOC eating episodes over the prior 3 months (once weekly), 3 of 5 associated symptoms, marked distress over LOC eating, and lack of regular compensatory behaviors. ResultsBased on these revised criteria, 49.3% (n = 35) were classified as the Bar-BED group and 50.7% (n = 36) as the LOC-only group. Compared with the LOC-only group, the Bar-BED group had significantly greater EDE global and subscale scores and lower percent weight loss by 6 months postsurgery. ConclusionFindings suggest LOC eating that parallels BED postsurgery is associated with poorer outcomes after sleeve gastrectomy including poorer weight loss and greater severity of eating-disorder psychopathology.