Food Addiction in Sleeve Gastrectomy Patients with Loss-of-Control Eating

Abstract

Objective: Food addiction and binge eating share overlapping and non-overlapping features; the presence of both may represent a more severe obesity subgroup among treatment-seeking samples. Loss-of-control (LOC) eating, a key marker of binge eating, is one of the few consistent predictors of suboptimal weight outcomes post-bariatric surgery. This study examined whether co-occurring LOC eating and food addiction represents a more severe variant post-bariatric surgery. Methods: 131 adults sought treatment for weight/eating concerns approximately six months post-sleeve gastrectomy surgery. The Eating Disorder Examination Bariatric-Surgery-Version assessed LOC eating, picking/nibbling and eating-disorder psychopathology. Participants completed the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: 17.6% met food addiction criteria on the YFAS. Compared to those without food addiction, the LOC group with food addiction reported significantly greater eating-disorder and depression scores, more frequent nibbling/picking and LOC eating, and lower SF-36 functioning. Conclusion: Nearly 18% of post-operative patients with LOC eating met food addiction criteria on the YFAS. Co-occurrence of LOC and food addiction following sleeve gastrectomy signals a more severe subgroup with elevated eating-disorder psychopathology, problematic eating behaviors, greater depression, and diminished functioning. Future research should examine whether this combination impacts long-term bariatric surgery outcomes.

Food addiction comorbid to mental disorders: A nationwide survey and register‐based study

“…For this reason, a number of studies have investigated the association between food addiction and symptoms of mental disorders, especially depression, anxiety, and eating disorders, and have quite consistently found positive associations (please see reviews by Burrows et al (Burrows, Kay‐Lambkin, Pursey, Skinner, & Dayas, 2018) and Meule and Gearhardt (Meule & Gearhardt, 2019)). However, the few studies that are based on clinical samples have almost exclusively focused on eating disorders of the bingeing subtype (bulimia nervosa and binge‐eating disorder) (Granero et al, 2014, 2018; Hilker et al, 2016; Ivezaj, Wiedemann, Lawson, & Grilo, 2019; Jiménez‐Murcia et al, 2019; Romero et al, 2019; Wolz et al, 2016; Wolz, Granero, & Fernandez‐Aranda, 2017) with the exception of two studies in schizophrenia (Goluza, Borchard, Kiarie, Mullan, & Pai, 2017; Kucukerdonmez, Urhan, Altin, Haciraifoglu, & Yildiz, 2019) and one in ADHD (Brunault et al, 2019). All of these studies have reported that the prevalence of food addiction was higher among individuals with mental disorders compared to (general population) controls.…”

Impact of Depression on Weight Loss Post Sleeve Gastrectomy - An Australian Experience

“…Pathological eating includes BED, food addiction, loss-of-control overeating and emotional eating. Many of these conditions co-occur with overlapping features [31]. A meta-analysis examining mental health conditions in patients seeking BS showed depression to be the leading mental disorder, closely followed by BED.…”

Long Term Success and Follow-Up after Bariatric Surgery

“…These disorders share overlapping and non-overlapping features; the presence of both may represent a more severe obesity subgroup among treatment-seeking samples. Loss-of-control (LOC) eating, a key marker of binge eating, is one of the few consistent predictors of suboptimal weight outcomes post-bariatric surgery [14].…”