Predicting Changes in Negative Emotional Eating following Bariatric Weight-Loss Surgery

Background: Obesity has been associated with higher rates of social anxiety, and social anxiety has been linked to increased emotional eating. We hypothesized that reductions in BMI and social anxiety following bariatric surgery would predict decreases in negative emotional eating. Methods: Participants were 206 bariatric weight loss surgery patients who completed self-report questionnaires. Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) scores measured social anxiety. Scores from the negative emotion subscale in the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ) reflected eating due to negative emotions. BMI was calculated from self-report data. All data were collected shortly preceding surgery and at 1-year post surgery. Results: Multiple regression was performed to examine whether changes in BMI and social anxiety predicted changes in negative emotional eating. BMI, social anxiety scores and negative emotional eating decreased significantly 1-year post surgery. Changes in BMI did not significantly predict changes in negative emotional eating. Decreases in social anxiety, however, did predict decreases in negative emotional eating following bariatric surgery, even when controlling for changes in BMI, p = .001. Conclusions: These research findings suggest that there may be behavioral benefits to bariatric surgery when psychosocial improvements occur, independent of weight loss. It would be worthwhile to test whether targeting social anxiety helps reduce negative emotional eating in obese participants

Sexual life after weight loss surgery

Background Previous research revealed a relationship between higher body mass index (BMI) and lower sexual functioning. However, the role of psychosocial variables, such as body image, in this relationship has been understudied. Objective To assess sexual life before and after weight loss surgery (WLS) and examine the role of body image and BMI in these changes. Setting WLS center at a major urban community hospital. Methods 327 participants (275 women and 52 men) who underwent either laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (n = 225) or laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (n = 102) were assessed on measures of sexual life preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after surgery. The number of completers were n = 126 at 1-month follow-up, n = 84 at 3 months, n = 86 at 6 months, n = 84 at 12 months, and n = 55 at 24 months. Results There was a significant increase in quality of sexual life over time, F(5,479.5) = 24.3, PF(1,580.3) = 36.9, PF(1,566.6)P = .94. A mediation analysis revealed that the relationship BMI had with sexual life was through its influence on body dissatisfaction. Conclusion Participants experienced improvements in quality of sexual life over time after WLS, and decrease in body image dissatisfaction was the strongest predictor of these improvements. These results underscore the importance of body image, independent of weight loss, in postsurgical sexual life

Predicting Changes in Negative Emotional Eating following Bariatric Weight-Loss Surgery

Background: Obesity has been associated with higher rates of social anxiety, and social anxiety has been linked to increased emotional eating. We hypothesized that reductions in BMI and social anxiety following bariatric surgery would predict decreases in negative emotional eating. Methods: Participants were 206 bariatric weight loss surgery patients who completed self-report questionnaires. Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) scores measured social anxiety. Scores from the negative emotion subscale in the Emotional Appetite Questionnaire (EMAQ) reflected eating due to negative emotions. BMI was calculated from self-report data. All data were collected shortly preceding surgery and at 1-year post surgery. Results: Multiple regression was performed to examine whether changes in BMI and social anxiety predicted changes in negative emotional eating. BMI, social anxiety scores and negative emotional eating decreased significantly 1-year post surgery. Changes in BMI did not significantly predict changes in negative emotional eating. Decreases in social anxiety, however, did predict decreases in negative emotional eating following bariatric surgery, even when controlling for changes in BMI, p = .001. Conclusions: These research findings suggest that there may be behavioral benefits to bariatric surgery when psychosocial improvements occur, independent of weight loss. It would be worthwhile to test whether targeting social anxiety helps reduce negative emotional eating in obese participants