A Prospective Assessment of Psychosocial Factors Among Bariatric Versus Non-bariatric Surgery Candidates

BACKGROUND: Psychological factors are considered potential contraindicators to bariatric surgery, but inconsistently predict surgical outcomes. We examined biomedical and psychosocial predictors of future bariatric candidacy in a population of veterans enrolling in a multidisciplinary weight management program. METHODS: Ninety-five obese veterans meeting bariatric surgery eligibility criteria participating in a weight control intake class from 2007 to 2008 completed the MOVE!23 questionnaire to assess biomedical, psychiatric, social, and eating behavior factors. Twenty-five patients from this cohort completed or obtained approval for bariatric surgery during the next 2 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Patients progressing to bariatric candidacy over follow-up differed from non-bariatric patients in multiple areas, including reporting significantly lower rates of depression (28% versus 48.7%, respectively; p = 0.04) and smoking (4% versus 16%; p = 0.05), better self-rated health (e.g., 28% versus 10.7% rating themselves as in excellent or very good health), and averaged 50% fewer cardiovascular risk factors (p = 0.01). Bariatric patients also rated themselves as significantly faster eaters (p = .03) and as having higher rates of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD; 28% versus 7%; p = 0.04). Depression and OCD status predicted patients going on to bariatric candidacy independent of body mass index (BMI), biomedical status, and demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that many of the commonly cited psychosocial contraindicators to bariatric surgery are already lower in patients considered for surgery relative to BMI equivalent treatment-seeking peers not approved for surgery. These differences may help explain inconsistent relationships between psychosocial factors and bariatric surgery outcomes.