Racial Comparisons of Post-Operative Weight Loss and Eating-Disorder Psychopathology among Patients Following Sleeve Gastrectomy Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To examine racial differences in post-operative eating-disorder psychopathology, psychosocial functioning, and weight loss among adults with loss-of-control (LOC) eating following sleeve gastrectomy. METHODS: Participants were N=123 (n=74 Non-Hispanic White and n=49 Non-Hispanic Black) patients who underwent surgery within the previous 4-9 months and reported regular LOC-eating during the previous month. The Eating Disorder Examination Interview-Bariatric Surgery Version assessed LOC eating, eating-disorder psychopathology, and meal patterns. Participants completed self-report measures including the Beck Depression Inventory-II(BDI-II) and Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey(SF-36). RESULTS: Pre-surgical BMI did not differ by race, but Black patients had significantly less percent total-weight-loss and percent excess-weight-loss than White patients. Black and White patients did not differ significantly in LOC-eating frequency, onset time of post-operative LOC-eating, eating-disorder psychopathology, depressive symptoms, or physical or mental health-related quality-of-life (SF-36). White patients were significantly more likely to meet criteria for lifetime binge-eating disorder than Black patients. Black patients were significantly more likely to skip breakfast and dinner and engage in night eating than White patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that, among patients with LOC-eating following sleeve-gastrectomy surgery, there exist few racial differences in current eating-disorder psychopathology and psychosocial functioning although Black patients achieve less weight loss than White patients.