Bariatric surgery is associated with long-term weight loss as well as improvement in, and at times resolution of, the various medical comorbidities associated with obesity. However, a subgroup of patients either fail to lose a significant amount of weight and/or experience significant weight regain several years after the procedure, and it is impossible at this point to identify these patients prospectively. The current application is to continue to follow a cohort of bariatric surgery patients who are regularly and intensively evaluated relative to psychopathology, disordered eating, alcohol and other substance use disorders, and quality of life, as well as relative to the various medical issues associated with obesity. The cohort is now complete. However, many of the outcomes of interest may not manifest themselves until several years beyond the end of the original funding. There is evidence that problems with psychopathology and eating may develop only after several years. This application for continuation would allow us to continue to follow this cohort a total of seven years to examine issues related to psychopathology, eating pathology and quality of life, and their relationship with weight outcomes longer-term. No prospective study using state-of-the-art instruments and periodic assessment has done this to date. This study will provide unique and valuable data in evaluating the outcomes of these patients.
The renewal of this study would allow the investigators to continue to follow a cohort of individuals who underwent bariatric surgery, until the entire cohort is out to 7 years post-surgery. The study focuses on psychosocial issues, including psychiatric disorders, eating problems, quality of life, sexual functioning, work functioning and interpersonal relationships; and the effects of these variables on weight loss, weight regain, and improvement or remission of medical comorbidities, such as diabetes and hypertension.
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