- J A Guisado: Department of Psychiatry, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain. jguisadom@medynet.com
BACKGROUND: This study analyzes eating behavior in a group of morbidly obese patients who have undergone gastric reduction surgery for weight loss, and evaluates whether the existence of Psychiatric comorbidity marks significant differences in their eating behavior.
METHODS: The study group was composed of 100 morbidly obese patients (85 females, 15 males) who had received surgical treatment for weight reduction (vertical banded gastroplasty). 40 of these patients (40%) met ICD-10 criteria for the diagnosis of Psychiatric disorders and were included in the "Psychiatric obese group" (PO). The other 60 patients (60%) did not show ICD-10 diagnostic criteria and were included in the "Non-Psychiatric obese group" (NO). Each patients completed the binge eating Scale (BES), the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, the Bulimia Investigatory Test-Edinburgh (BITE), and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI).
RESULTS: Significant differences were found between the two groups (PO and NO) in the binge eating Scale (p < 0.001), Three Factor Eating Questionnaire subscale Disinhibition (p < 0.001), BITE (p < 0.001), Eating Disorder Inventory subscale Perfectionism (p < 0.002), and Global EDI (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed correlation between PO group and Global EDI (Odds Ratio OR = 1.43) and BITE (OR = 1.16). No significant gender differences were found for eating behavior, clinical diagnosis, age, percentage of weight loss, time after operation, and BMI before surgery.
CONCLUSION: Surgically treated morbidly obese patients with a Psychiatric disorder (PO) have a more destructured eating pattern (with a predominance of binge eating and disinhibition) than NO.