Psychiatric disorders among bariatric surgery candidates: relationship to obesity and functional health status
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to document psychiatric disorders among candidates for weight loss surgery and to examine the relationship of psychopathology to degree of obesity and functional health status. METHOD: The authors collected demographic and clinical information from 288 individuals seeking surgery. Assessments were administered independently of the preoperative screening and approval process. The study group was mostly female (83.3%) and white (88.2%). Mean body mass index (BMI) of the group was 52.2 kg/m(2) (SD=9.7), and the mean age was 46.2 years (SD=9.4). RESULTS: Approximately 66% of the participants had a lifetime history of at least one axis I disorder, and 38% met diagnostic criteria at the time of preoperative evaluation. In addition, 29% met criteria for one or more axis II disorders. Axis I psychopathology, but not axis II, was positively related to BMI, and both axis I and axis II psychopathology were associated with lower scores on the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. CONCLUSIONS: Current and past DSM-IV psychiatric disorders are prevalent among bariatric surgery candidates and are associated with greater obesity and lower functional health status, highlighting the need to understand potential implications for surgery preparation and outcome. Future work also will focus on the course of psychiatric disorder during the post-surgery period and its relationship to weight loss and maintenance.
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Bariatric surgery candidates have higher rates of depression and other major psychiatric disorders than healthy individuals.
“People presenting for bariatric surgery have increased rates of depression and other major psychiatric disorders compared with healthy people and are prone to clinically significant body image disorders, sexual dysfunction, and suicidal behavior (131).”
From Psychosocial care for people with diabetes: a position statement of the American Diabetes Association (2016) · cites this paper as [131]
Bariatric surgery candidates are prone to clinically significant body image disorders, sexual dysfunction, and suicidal behavior.
“People presenting for bariatric surgery have increased rates of depression and other major psychiatric disorders compared with healthy people and are prone to clinically significant body image disorders, sexual dysfunction, and suicidal behavior (131).”
From Psychosocial care for people with diabetes: a position statement of the American Diabetes Association (2016) · cites this paper as [131]
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- Authors
- Kalarchian, M. A., Marcus, M. D., Levine, M. D., Courcoulas, A. P., Pilkonis, P. A., Ringham, R. M., Soulakova, J. N., Weissfeld, L. A., & Rofey, D. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- ORCID
- Venue
- American Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 2007-02
- Volume
- 164
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 328-334
- ISSN
- 0002-953X (ISSN-L)
- 1535-7228
- OpenAlex
- W2139834416
- Cited by
- 616
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 54 · 2015: 49 · 2014: 54 · 2013: 36 · 2012: 44
- FWCI
- 31.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- American Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (UL1TR000005, 5p30dk046204-15)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (K23 DK 62291, K23DK062291, P30 DK 46204)
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Keywords
- mental illness, bariatric surgery candidates, obesity, functional status, psychopathology, body mass index, Axis I disorders, Axis II personality disorders, bariatric surgery
- MeSH terms
- Mental Disorders, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Personality Disorders, Preoperative Care, Prognosis, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Comorbidity, Body Mass Index, Prevalence, Treatment Outcome, Patient Selection, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Bariatric Surgery
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