Valentina Ivezaj

Individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) report smoking to control appetite and weight. Smoking in BED is associated with increased risk for comorbid psychiatric disorders, but its impact on psychosocial functioning and metabolic function has not been evaluated. Participants were 429 treatment-seeking adults (72.4% women; mean age 46.2±11.0years old) with BED comorbid with obesity. Participants were categorized into current smokers (n=66), former smokers (n=145), and never smokers (n=218). Smoking status was unrelated to most historical eating/weight variables and to current eating disorder psychopathology. Smoking status was associated with psychiatric, psychosocial, and metabolic functioning. Compared with never smokers, current smokers were more likely to meet lifetime diagnostic criteria for alcohol (OR=5.51 [95% CI=2.46-12.33]) and substance use disorders (OR=7.05 [95% CI=3.37-14.72]), poorer current physical quality of life, and increased risk for metabolic syndrome (OR=1.80 [95% CI=0.97-3.35]) and related metabolic risks (reduced HDL, elevated total cholesterol). On the other hand, the odds of meeting criteria for lifetime psychiatric comorbidity or metabolic abnormalities were not significantly greater in former smokers, relative to never smokers. Our findings suggest the importance of promoting smoking cessation in treatment-seeking patients with BED and obesity for its potential long-term implications for psychiatric and metabolic functioning.

What is already known about this subjectElevated rates of substance use disorders (SUDs), particularly (but not only) alcohol use, are observed among post‐weight loss surgery (WLS) patients.The development of SUDs among post‐WLS patients typically occurs 1–2 years post‐surgery.Post‐WLS patients are developing SUD at a much later time of life than is typical of SUDs in the general population, suggesting they constitute a distinct SUD phenotype that is directly related to having undergone WLS.What this study addsOverall, findings suggest that post‐WLS patients are overrepresented in substance abuse treatment programmes, and the majority of them report no history of SUD before WLS.Relative to non‐WLS patients in SUD treatment, post‐WLS patients in substance abuse treatment are disproportionally diagnosed with alcohol dependence, including alcohol withdrawal.Post‐WLS patients may be at elevated risk for development of New Onset SUD in the absence of a prior SUD history; this group is ph...

Bariatric surgery (BS) is a clinically- and cost-effective procedure for moderate to severe obesity. Despite strong evidence of favorable outcomes, however, it is estimated that only about 0.6% of those who are medically eligible have undergone BS. Although the literature clearly indicates that most eligible patients do not undergo BS, research is lacking as to why some patients follow-through with BS while others do not. The goal of the current study was to develop models to predict how psychosocial factors influence BS completion using the PsyBari-II (Mahony, 2010). Results indicate that almost one third of BS candidates who were approved for surgery did not follow through with having BS. Childhood obesity onset and increased number of different weight loss programs tried were related to BS completion. Based on the PsyBari-II items, greater weight concerns, less psychiatric trauma history, expected post-surgical compliance, and less surgical fears were also associated with BS comp...

Depression levels generally decrease substantially following bariatric surgery; however, little is known about bariatric patients who might experience increases in depression following surgery. We examined the frequency of bariatric patients who experienced discernible increases in depression levels following surgery and explored their correlates. Participants were 107 patients with extreme obesity who underwent gastric bypass surgery and were followed up at 6 and 12 months postsurgery. Participants completed self-report questionnaires about depression (BDI), eating disorder psychopathology (EDE-Q), self-esteem (RSES), and social functioning (SF-36) at baseline and again at 6 and 12 months postsurgery. Fourteen (13.1 %) participants reported discernible increases (BDI-Increase), 14 (13.1 %) reported discernible decreases (BDI-Decrease), and 79 (73.8 %) did not report discernible changes (no change) in BDI scores from 6 to 12 months postsurgery. Presurgically, there were no differences between the three groups. By 12 months postsurgery, the BDI-Increase group had significantly higher depression scores and significantly lower self-esteem and SF-36 mental component scores than did the other groups. For the BDI-Increase group, BDI Change was significantly associated with body mass index, self-esteem, and SF-36 physical component scores. Findings highlight that a subgroup of individuals report discernible increases in depressive scores postsurgery and may differ in potentially clinically meaningful ways from those who do not report discernible increases in depressive symptoms. Future research is needed to better understand the long-term trajectory of patients with discernible worsening mood following gastric bypass surgery.

This study examined the DSM-5 severity criterion for bulimia nervosa (BN) based on the frequency of inappropriate weight compensatory behaviors. 199 community volunteers classified with BN were categorized using DSM-5 severity levels and compared on demographic and clinical variables. 77 (39%) participants were categorized as mild, 68 (34%) as moderate, 32 (16%) as severe, and 22 (11%) as extreme. The severity groups did not differ significantly in demographic variables or body mass index. Shape and Weight concerns did not differ significantly across severity groups. Binge eating differed with the extreme group having significantly higher frequency than the severe, moderate, and mild groups, which did not differ from each other. Restraint differed with the extreme group having significantly higher levels than the mild group. Eating concerns differed with the extreme group having significantly higher levels than moderate and mild groups. Depression differed with the extreme group hav...

Research has examined various aspects of the diagnostic criteria for binge-eating disorder (BED) but has yet to evaluate the DSM-5 severity criterion. This study examined the DSM-5 severity criterion for BED based on binge-eating frequency and tested an alternative severity specifier based on overvaluation of shape/weight. 338 community volunteers categorized with DSM-5 BED completed a battery of self-report instruments. Participants were categorized first using DSM-5 severity levels and second by shape/weight overvaluation and were compared on clinical variables. 264 (78.1%) participants were categorized as mild, 67 (19.8%) as moderate, 6 (1.8%) as severe, and 1 (0.3%) as extreme. Analyses comparing mild and moderate severity groups revealed no significant differences in demographic variables or BMI; the moderate severity group had greater eating-disorder psychopathology (small effect-sizes) but not depression than the mild group. Participants with overvaluation (N = 196; 60.1%) ve...

To examine weight change trajectories among overweight and obese patients with binge eating disorder (BED) versus without (NBO) during the year prior to seeking treatment. Participants were 97 (75 women, 22 men) overweight and obese patients recruited for the same weight-loss treatment in primary care; 26 (27%) met DSM-5 BED criteria. Participants were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination and completed self-report questionnaires about their weight histories and the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Participants' self-reported current weight and measured current weight were significantly correlated and did not statistically differ. Reported weight changes during the year prior to seeking treatment differed significantly by group: BED patients gained an average of 18.3lb (8.2kg) whereas NBO patients gained an average of 1.5lb (0.7kg). Among BED patients, but not NBO, weight change during the prior year was positively correlated with greater eating-disorder psychopathology, bi...

Elevated rates of substance use disorders (SUDs), particularly (but not only) alcohol use, are observed among post-weight loss surgery (WLS) patients. The development of SUDs among post-WLS patients typically occurs 1-2 years post-surgery. Post-WLS patients are developing SUD at a much later time of life than is typical of SUDs in the general population, suggesting they constitute a distinct SUD phenotype that is directly related to having undergone WLS. Overall, findings suggest that post-WLS patients are overrepresented in substance abuse treatment programmes, and the majority of them report no history of SUD before WLS. Relative to non-WLS patients in SUD treatment, post-WLS patients in substance abuse treatment are disproportionally diagnosed with alcohol dependence, including alcohol withdrawal. Post-WLS patients may be at elevated risk for development of New Onset SUD in the absence of a prior SUD history; this group is phenotypically different from those with a history of substance abuse prior to surgery, and such patients may have unique treatment needs. A comprehensive substance abuse treatment facility began observing increased admissions who reported histories of weight loss surgery (WLS). Emerging evidence suggests that roughly half of post-WLS patients in substance abuse treatment developed their substance use disorder (SUD) after surgery. The present study examined differences between SUD patients who developed New Onset SUD after surgery and those with a reported SUD onset before WLS (SUD Hx+ group). Participants completed a questionnaire and participated in a semi-structured interview. Data were also obtained from participants' electronic medical records. Of the total treatment sample (n = 4658), 2.8% reported a history of WLS. Post-WLS patients were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Among post-WLS patients who were interviewed (n = 56), 60% were classified as New Onset SUD, while only 40% were SUD Hx+. SUD Hx+ cases reported using significantly more types of substances than New Onset cases and were more likely to report pre-surgical binge eating disorder (BED). Post-WLS patients are overrepresented in substance abuse treatment and are disproportionally diagnosed AUDs. Post-WLS patients may be at elevated risk for development of New Onset SUD at a time in life (middle age) when SUD onset is relatively uncommon.

Bariatric or weight loss surgery (WLS) patients are overrepresented in substance abuse treatment, constituting about 3% of admissions; about 2/3 of such patients deny problematic substance use prior to WLS. It is important to advance our understanding of the emergence of substance use disorders (SUDs) - particularly the New Onset variant - after WLS. Burgeoning research with both animal models and humans suggests that "food addiction" may play a role in certain forms of obesity, with particular risk conferred by foods high in sugar but low in fat. Therefore, we hypothesized that WLS patients who reported pre-WLS problems with High-Sugar/Low-Fat foods and those high on the glycemic index (GI) would be those most likely to evidence New Onset SUDs after surgery. Secondary data analyses were conducted using a de-identified database from 154 bariatric surgery patients (88% female, Mage=48.7 yrs, SD=10.8, Mtime since surgery=2.7 yrs, SD=2.2 yrs). Participants who endorsed pre-surgical problems with High-Sugar/Low-Fat foods and High GI foods were at greater risk for New Onset SUD in the post-surgical period. These findings remained significant after controlling for other predictors of post-surgical SUD. Our findings provide evidence for the possibility of addiction transfer among certain bariatric patients.

Substance use disorder (SUD) may develop de novo for a subgroup of weight loss surgery patients, particularly those who have had the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedure. The present study examined the rate of SUD in a broad sample of RYGB patients and identified associated behavioral and psychological factors. Participants included 143 RYGB patients; the majority were women (n = 120; 83.9 %) and white (n = 135; 94.4 %). Participants completed a web-based survey assessing retrospective accounts of presurgical substance use, eating pathology, family history, and traumatic history, postsurgical substance use, life stressors, and global trait-like measures (emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, sensation-seeking, and coping skills). A subgroup (n = 28, 19.6 %) of post-RYGB patients met criteria for probable SUD; however, the majority of those who met SUD criteria postsurgery (n = 19, 68 %) did not report a pre-RYGB SUD history. Family history of substance abuse, poor coping skills, and potential life stressors were related to post-RYGB SUD, particularly for the new-onset group. Additionally, the majority of those who met criteria for pre-RYGB SUD (n = 21, 70 %) did not continue to meet SUD criteria following RYGB. Findings highlight a subgroup of post-RYGB patients reporting new-onset SUD, which is unexpected among middle-aged women. Importantly, findings also indicate that many patients with presurgical SUD did not relapse postsurgery. Assessing for family history of SUD and coping skills at the presurgical evaluation is recommended. Future research should identify psychological and physiological risk factors for SUD postsurgery and examine protective factors of those who discontinue substance use postsurgery.

The objective was to compare weight-bias attitudes among treatment-seeking obese patients with and without binge eating disorder (BED vs. NBO) and to explore racial and sex differences and correlates of weight-bias attitudes. Participants included 221 obese patients (169 female, 52 male) seeking treatment for weight and eating, recruited through primary care settings; of these, 168 patients met BED criteria. Patients completed semi-structured interviews and psychometrically established self-report measures of attitudes about obesity, eating pathology and depression. Main effects for group (BED vs. NBO) and race (White vs. African American) were significant. Patients with BED had significantly higher levels of negative attitudes towards obesity than NBO patients, while African American patients had significantly lower levels of weight bias than did White patients. Greater negative attitudes towards obesity were significantly correlated with higher levels of depression and eating pathology for all patients. Endorsement of negative weight bias was related to binge eating status, race, disordered eating, and depression. Primary care providers should be aware of weight biases among their patients.