Eating behavior in morbidly obese patients undergoing gastric surgery: differences between obese people with and without psychiatric disorders.

BACKGROUND

This study analyzes eating behavior in a group of morbidly obese patients who have undergone gastric reduction surgery for weight loss, and evaluates whether the existence of psychiatric comorbidity marks significant differences in their eating behavior.

METHODS

The study group was composed of 100 morbidly obese patients (85 females, 15 males) who had received surgical treatment for weight reduction (vertical banded gastroplasty). 40 of these patients (40%) met ICD-10 criteria for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and were included in the "Psychiatric Obese group" (PO). The other 60 patients (60%) did not show ICD-10 diagnostic criteria and were included in the "Non-Psychiatric Obese group" (NO). Each patients completed the Binge Eating Scale (BES), the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Bulimia Investigatory Test-Edinburgh (BITE), and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI).

RESULTS

Significant differences were found between the two groups (PO and NO) in the Binge Eating Scale (p < 0.001), Three Factor Eating Questionnaire subscale Disinhibition (p < 0.001), BITE (p < 0.001), Eating Disorder Inventory subscale Perfectionism (p < 0.002), and Global EDI (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed correlation between PO group and Global EDI (Odds Ratio OR = 1.43) and BITE (OR = 1.16). No significant gender differences were found for eating behavior, clinical diagnosis, age, percentage of weight loss, time after operation, and BMI before surgery.

CONCLUSION

Surgically treated morbidly obese patients with a psychiatric disorder (PO) have a more destructured eating pattern (with a predominance of binge eating and disinhibition) than NO.