Body Image, Emotional Eating and Psychological Distress among Bariatric Surgery Candidates in Israel and the United States

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to examine the relations between body image dissatisfaction (BID) and psychological distress variables among bariatric surgery candidates from two distinct cultures in Israel and in the United States. Methods: A sample of consecutive pre-surgical bariatric candidates was recruited from a Bariatric Center in Israel (N = 114) and a Bariatric Center in the Unites States (N = 81). Body image dissatisfaction (BID-BSQ8), suicidal ideation (SBQ-R), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anxious symptoms (PHQ-7), and emotional eating behaviors (EES), were measured. Mediation models were assessed using path analysis. Results: BID was positively correlated with suicidality, depression, and anxiety in both samples. The relations between BID depression and anxiety were mediated by emotional eating in both cultures. However, the relation between BID and suicidality that was mediated by emotional eating in the Israeli sample, was reflected in a direct link between BID and suicidality in the US sample. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the adverse effect of BID on psychological distress among surgery candidates in both cultures, emphasizing the intercultural similarities related to emotional eating behavior. Physicians and other health professionals are encouraged to be more attentive to this specific behavior.

Coaction of Obesity Treatment–Associated Changes in Physical Activity and Emotional Eating: Mediation by Body Satisfaction

“…That positive perception could then reinforce improvements in emotional eating and vice versa (Baker & Brownell, 2000). Following from those relationships, and suggested by previous research (Geller et al, 2020), change in body satisfaction might mediate relations between improvements in physical activity and emotional eating.…”

Homeostasis Theory of Well-being

“…As already mentioned, the theory was first proposed as a theory of obesity (Annunziato and Grossman, 2016; DiClemente and Delahanty, 2016; Marks, 2015). Several empirical studies and reviews have supported the obesity theory, for example, Jumbe et al (2017), Czepczor-Bernat et al (2020), Geller et al (2020) and Modrzejewska et al (2021). With a Chinese sample, Liu et al (2022) observed an inverted U-shaped relationship between happiness and BMI.…”

The emotional-behavioral state of Israeli adolescent and young adult females with anorexia nervosa during the COVID19 pandemic

“…This 9-item depression module from the PHQ is rated on a 3-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating greater depression. The PHQ-9 has previously been used for individuals with EDs [ 36 ], and its Hebrew translation has been validated for Israeli populations, including patients with EDs [ 40 ]. Internal consistency of the PHQ-9 self-report in this study is α = 0.92.…”