Eating disorders in the preoperative phase of bariatric surgery

• Published in: Medicina (Sao Paulo. 197?) Vol. 55; no. 3
• Main Authors: Simões, Shirley Kelly dos Santos, Pedrosa, Renata Maria Gonçalves, Calado, Cinthia Katiane Martins, Cabral, Poliana Coelho, Maio, Regiane, Correia, Maria Flora, Burgos, Maria Goretti Pessoa de Araujo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo 09-11-2022
• Subjects: Bariatric surgery; Eating disorder; Eating pattern; Gastroplasty; Obesity
• ISSN: 0076-6046; 2176-7262
• DOI: 10.11606/issn.2176-7262.rmrp.2022.194840

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is considered the most effective obesity treatment. Obese patients have a high prevalence of eating disorders. Objectives:  Evaluate the occurrence of eating disorders and eating patterns in candidates for bariatric surgery and associate eating disorders with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using electronic charts of candidates for bariatric surgery. Data were collected on sex, age, marital status, schooling, occupation, non-communicable diseases, body mass index (BMI), eating disorders, and eating patterns. Results: Among the 281 patients evaluated, eating disorders were detected in 26.7%; 10.3% had binge eating disorder, 6.6% had bulimia nervosa, and 5.3% had the night-eating syndrome. The specific eating patterns were overeating (46.6%), binge eating during periods of stress (9.3%), eating sweets (4%), and snaking (1.3%). BMI ranged from 35.38 to 59.03 kg/m² (mean: 44.37 ± 5.89). All individuals (100%) had systemic arterial hypertension, and 23.3% had type 2 diabetes mellitus or dyslipidemia. Conclusions: The frequency of eating disorders was low in the sample studied, the most common of which was binge eating disorder. Non-communicable diseases were associated with eating disorders. Among the eating patterns observed, the most frequent was overeating.