Bariatric Surgery and Eating Disorders: A Double-Edged Sword

The high prevalence of eating pathology prior to bariatric surgery reduces the likelihood of what researchers have termed “optimal” weight loss post surgery. However, such weight loss is in part due to post-surgical complications like “dumping” (rapid gastric emptying because digestive systems cannot process the food) or vomiting that can develop into conscious efforts to lose weight. Conceicao et al. (2013a) describe, for example, one patient who deliberately binged and purged on foods that would make her vomit spontaneously.

These kinds of results raise a number of questions:

  • How prevalent are eating disorders (EDs) post-bariatric surgery?
  • What are the risk factors for developing an ED?
  • To what extent is the surgery itself a potential trigger?

PREVALENCE OF DISORDERED EATING AMONG INDIVIDUALS SEEKING BARIATRIC SURVERY

Researchers interested in bariatric surgery have explored how often those seeking bariatric surgery engage in disordered eating or have EDs. Prevalence rates vary between studies depending … Continue reading →