Reliability of the original and brief versions of the Eating Disorder Examination in binge-eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Psychometric studies evaluating the reliability of eating-disorder assessment among individuals with binge-eating disorder (BED) have been limited. The current study documents the interrater reliability and internal consistency of the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview when administered to adults with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (DSM-5)-defined BED. METHODS: Participants (N = 56) were adults seeking treatment for BED in the context of clinical trials testing pharmacological and psychological treatments. Doctoral-level, trained, and supervised clinical researchers evaluated eating-disorder psychopathology using the EDE interview and audio-recorded the interview. A second doctoral-level, trained, and supervised clinical researcher, who did not conduct the initial assessment, coded eating-disorder psychopathology using the audio recording. RESULTS: Agreement among raters on the number of binge-eating episodes was near perfect. There was excellent interrater reliability for nearly all scales of the EDE interview. Agreement among raters for behavioral indicators of loss of control and marked distress regarding binge eating ranged from moderate to perfect. Internal consistency was variable for all scales, ranging from unacceptable to good. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the EDE can be administered reliably by multiple interviewers to assess adults with BED. However, internal consistency was mostly subpar. Tests of reliability and other psychometric properties (e.g., validity) in other patient groups such as children with BED are warranted.

Overvaluation of shape/weight at posttreatment predicts relapse at 12-month follow-up after successful behaviorally-based treatment of binge-eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether overvaluation of shape/weight at the end of treatment prospectively predicts relapse at 12-month follow-up in patients with binge-eating disorder (BED). METHOD: Participants were 129 patients with BED who achieved abstinence from binge eating after 6 months of behaviorally-based weight-loss treatments in a clinical trial. Independent assessments conducted at posttreatment and at 12-month follow-up included the Eating Disorder Examination interview, the Beck Depression Inventory, and weight measurements. RESULTS: Of the 129 participants who attained abstinence from binge-eating at posttreatment, 46 (36%) were categorized with clinical overvaluation and 83 (64%) with subclinical overvaluation; 115 (89%) were re-assessed at 12-month follow-up. Participants with overvaluation at posttreatment were significantly more likely than those without to relapse at 12-months to non-abstinence from binge eating (54% vs. 28%) and to diagnosis-level binge-eating frequency of once weekly or greater (31% vs. 13%). Overvaluation at posttreatment predicted significantly higher eating-disorder psychopathology and depression scores at 12-month follow-up but were unrelated to weight and weight changes. Treatment groups did not have main or interaction effects; posttreatment overvaluation effects were observed regardless of treatment and of covarying for posttreatment value of dependent variables. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that overvaluation of shape/weight at the end of treatment predicts relapse and heightened eating-disorder psychopathology and depression scores 1 year later in patients who achieved abstinence from binge eating with behaviorally-based treatments. Overvaluation of shape/weight has significant clinical implications and warrants consideration as a diagnostic specifier for BED as it provides important prospective prognostic information. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Although effective treatments are available for binge-eating disorder, relapse following successful treatments is not uncommon. Almost nothing is known about what predicts relapse following treatments for binge-eating disorder. Our study found that overvaluation of shape/weight (i.e., body image concerns that overly impact self-worth) at posttreatment prospectively predicted relapse and higher eating-disorder psychopathology and depression 1 year later in patients who achieved binge-eating abstinence with behaviorally based treatments. CLINICALTRIALS: gov registration: NCT00829283. (Treatment of obesity and binge eating: Behavioral weight loss vs. stepped care.).

Racial differences after bariatric surgery: 24-month follow-up of a randomized, controlled trial for postoperative loss-of-control eating.

BACKGROUND: While some bariatric surgery outcomes vary by race/ethnicity, less is known about racial/ethnic differences in loss-of-control (LOC) eating and psychosocial outcomes post-surgery. OBJECTIVE: This prospective study examined and extended initial short-term findings regarding racial differences in post-bariatric surgery LOC eating and weight loss to longer-term outcomes through 24-month follow-ups. SETTING: Academic medical center in the United States. METHODS: Participants were 140 patients (46.4% non-White) in a 3-month randomized, controlled trial for LOC eating performed about 6 months after bariatric surgery. Participants were reassessed at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after treatment ended (about 33 mo after surgery). Doctoral assessors administered the Eating Disorder Examination-Bariatric Surgery Version interview to assess LOC eating and eating-disorder psychopathology at 12- and 24-month follow-ups. The Beck Depression Inventory II was repeated, and measured weight was obtained at all follow-ups. RESULTS: White patients had significantly greater percent excess weight loss at all follow-ups than non-White patients (p < .03). White patients reported significantly more LOC eating at 12- (p = .004) and 24-month (p = .024) follow-ups and significantly greater eating disorder psychopathology at 12-month follow-up (p < .028). Racial groups did not differ significantly in eating disorder psychopathology at 24-month follow-ups or in Beck Depression Inventory II depression scores at any follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that among patients with LOC eating after bariatric surgery, non-White patients attain a lower percent excess weight loss than White patients but have comparable or better outcomes in LOC eating, associated eating disorder psychopathology, and depression over time.

Shape discrepancy, weight bias internalization, and eating-disorder psychopathology in patients with loss-of-control eating after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative loss-of-control (LOC) eating is associated with eating-disorder psychopathology, poorer weight loss, and mental health outcomes following bariatric surgery. The nature and significance of shape discrepancy has not been examined in patients with LOC eating following bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVES: To examine shape discrepancy, WBI (weight bias internalization) and ED (eating-disorder) psychopathology in patients with LOC eating after bariatric surgery. SETTING: Yale University School of Medicine, United States. METHODS: Participants (N = 148, 84.5% female) seeking treatment for eating and weight concerns and with recurrent LOC eating approximately 6 months after bariatric surgery were assessed with the Eating Disorder Examination-Bariatric Surgery Version Interview and completed questionnaires measuring WBI and depression. Participants selected body shapes representing their current and ideal shapes, and a shape discrepancy score was calculated. RESULTS: Most participants (N = 142/148) reported an ideal shape smaller than their current shape; shape discrepancy scores ranged from 0 to 5 (M = 1.89, SD = .82). Greater shape discrepancy was significantly correlated with greater current body mass index (BMI; r = .271, p=<.001) and percent weight loss (%WL) since surgery (r = -.19, p = .023). After adjusting for %WL, shape discrepancy was significantly correlated with greater WBI (r = .37, p < .001), depression (r = .27, p < .001), and ED psychopathology (r = .25, p = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all participants preferred a significantly smaller shape than their current shape. Greater discrepancy between current and ideal shape was associated with higher levels of a range of behavioral (ED psychopathology), cognitive (WBI), and psychological/somatic (depression) concerns. These findings, which persisted after adjusting for %WL, highlight the importance of addressing body image in postoperative interventions.

Improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors associated with modest weight loss following treatment in patients with binge-eating disorder and obesity.

BACKGROUND: Modest weight losses may be associated with improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF) in patients with obesity. The effects of weight losses on CVDRF in persons with binge-eating disorder (BED) are unknown. This study prospectively examined changes in CVDRF among patients receiving behaviorally-based weight-loss treatment (BBWLT) who attained modest weight losses (≥5 to <10% and ≥10%). METHOD: Of 191 participants, CVDRF variables were re-assessed in 168 participants at posttreatment and in 151 at 12-month follow-up. Participants who attained ≥5 to <10% weight loss were compared to those who did not on CVDRFs (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, HbA1C, mean plasma glucose, heart rate, and systolic/diastolic blood pressure); similar comparisons were completed for those who attained ≥10% weight loss. RESULTS: At posttreatment, ≥5 to <10% weight loss (N = 42; 25.0%) was associated with significant improvements in HbA1c and mean plasma glucose, whereas ≥10% weight loss (N = 40, 23.8%) was associated with significant improvements in total cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c, mean plasma glucose, and heart rate. At 12-month follow-up, ≥5 to <10% weight loss (N = 17; 11.1%) was related to significant improvements on HDL, triglycerides, HbA1c, and mean plasma glucose, whereas ≥10% weight loss (N = 40, 26.0%) was associated with significant improvements on all the CVDRF variables (except blood pressure). CONCLUSIONS: Modest weight loss is associated with significant improvements in CVDRFs in patients with BED and obesity following treatment and at 12-month follow-up. Future work should examine whether improvements in CVDRF are attributable to weight loss per se and/or to other related lifestyle changes. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Individuals with binge-eating disorder and obesity who attain modest weight loss following treatment exhibit improvements in various measures of cardiovascular disease risk compared to those who do not. While weight loss has been challenging for individuals with binge-eating disorder, clinicians should inform patients of the potential health benefits of modest weight loss. Future research should investigate whether weight loss itself and/or related behavioral lifestyle changes drive improved cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Predictors of early weight loss in post-bariatric surgery patients receiving adjunctive behavioural treatments for loss-of-control eating.

This study examined baseline patient characteristics as predictors of early weight loss, defined as any weight loss within the first month of treatment, among patients receiving adjunctive behavioural treatments for loss-of-control (LOC) eating about 6 months after bariatric surgery. Participants were 126 patients in a treatment trial for LOC-eating (roughly 6 months postoperatively) categorized by early weight change following 1 month of treatment. Early weight-loss, defined as any weight loss following 1 month of treatment, and weight-gain, defined as any weight gain, groups were compared on sociodemographic and clinical variables assessed using a battery of reliably administered diagnostic and clinical interviews and established self-report measures, and on surgery-related variables (time since surgery, percent total [%TWL], and percent excess weight loss). Most patients (n = 99; 78.6%) lost weight after the first month of adjunctive treatments. Black patients (n = 24; 61.5%) were significantly less likely to achieve early weight loss compared to patients identifying as White (n = 60; 83%) or 'other' (n = 15; 100%) which was not predicted by any other sociodemographic variable. Severity of eating-disorder psychopathology, psychiatric comorbidity, and a broad range of psychosocial measures were not significantly predictive of early weight changes. Duration since surgery and percent weight loss from time of surgery to study enrolment 6-months post-surgery differed by early weight-loss and weight-gain groups. Findings suggest that among post-bariatric surgery patients receiving adjunctive behavioural treatments for LOC-eating, baseline patient characteristics, aside from race and surgery-related variables, do not predict early weight loss.

Psychiatric comorbidity as a prospective predictor of long-term weight and psychosocial outcomes after bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Psychiatric comorbidity is common among the bariatric population although the prognostic significance of psychiatric comorbidity on outcomes is uncertain. This prospective study examined differences in weight and psychosocial functioning outcomes based on lifetime and current (post-surgical) psychiatric comorbidity. METHODS: Participants were 140 adults in a RCT for loss-of-control (LOC)-eating approximately six months post-bariatric surgery. Two structured interviews were administered: the Eating Disorder Examination-Bariatric Surgery Version (EDE-BSV) to assess LOC-eating and eating-disorder psychopathology, and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to assess lifetime and current (post-surgical) psychiatric disorders. The EDE-BSV and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) were repeated at post-treatment and 24-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Lifetime (75.7%) and current/post-surgical (25%) psychiatric diagnoses were common. Groups with and without psychiatric comorbidity did not differ significantly in weight loss outcomes at any timepoint but psychiatric comorbidity was associated significantly with greater LOC-eating, eating-disorder psychopathology, and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Among participants with LOC-eating post-bariatric surgery, lifetime and post-surgical psychiatric comorbidity was not associated with acute or longer-term weight outcomes but predicted poorer psychosocial functioning. Findings challenge prevailing views that psychiatric comorbidity is related to poorer longer-term weight outcomes following bariatric surgery but highlight its clinical significance as it is associated with broad psychosocial difficulties.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the English- versus Spanish-language Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire: Brief Form (S-EDE-Q-BF) in Hispanic/Latino/a/x persons seeking bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of eating disorder psychopathology during preoperative psychological evaluations could be facilitated with psychometrically valid measures. One of the most commonly used measures, the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), is lengthy and has been found to have psychometric limitations. Research has identified a shorter version that has received reliable support across diverse samples but requires further validation for use with patients being evaluated for bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVES: To cross-validate the factor structure of the EDE-Q: Brief Form (EDE-Q-BF, standalone, nonnested version) with patients being evaluated for bariatric surgery across English- and Spanish-language versions and establish measurement invariance for gender and language. SETTING: Northeastern hospital in the United States. METHODS: Participants (n = 618) undergoing evaluations prior to bariatric surgery who identified as Hispanic/Latino/a/x and consented to participate in this research study (which did not influence eligibility for bariatric surgery) completed self-reports. Of the 618 participants, 92 were male and 526 were female, 318 preferred English and were administered English versions of the measures, and 300 preferred Spanish and were administered Spanish versions of the measures. RESULTS: The 3-factor structure ("Restraint," "Weight/Shape Concerns," and "Body Dissatisfaction") of the EDE-Q-BF fit the data well (χ2 [11] = 18.47; P = .071; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = .033; comparative fit index [CFI] > .99; standardized root mean squared residual [SRMR] = .02). Scaler invariance was met for both gender and language. Correlations with external criteria further supported its validity. CONCLUSION: The EDE-Q-BF can easily be administered as part of a preoperative psychological assessment battery to screen for eating disorder psychopathology and is valid for Hispanic/Latino/a/x men and women who speak either English or Spanish.

Predictors and significance of rapid response to behaviorally based treatment of binge eating disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined baseline predictors of rapid response and its prognostic significance in a clinical trial of behaviorally based weight loss treatment (BBWLT) for binge eating disorder in patients with obesity. METHODS: One hundred ninety-one participants receiving BBWLT were assessed at baseline, throughout treatment, and at posttreatment (6 months) by independent assessors. Rapid response was defined as ≥ 65% reduction in binge eating by the fourth treatment week. Patients with versus without rapid response were compared on demographic features, a broad range of current/past clinical and psychiatric variables, and treatment attitudes. Rapid response was used to prospectively predict posttreatment outcomes. RESULTS: Rapid response, which characterized 63% (N = 120) of participants, was not associated significantly with any demographic features or with any current/past clinical and psychiatric variables. Higher ratings (at week one) regarding the logic of BBWLT and greater confidence that treatment would help with binge eating and weight loss were associated significantly with rapid response (at week four). Rapid response was prospectively associated with significantly better binge eating and weight loss outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that rapid response to BBWLT for binge eating disorder prospectively predicts superior clinical outcomes in both binge eating and weight loss. Treatment attitudes, rather than patient demographic or clinical severity variables, are prospectively associated with rapid response.

Machine learning v. traditional regression models predicting treatment outcomes for binge-eating disorder from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: While effective treatments exist for binge-eating disorder (BED), prediction of treatment outcomes has proven difficult, and few reliable predictors have been identified. Machine learning is a promising method for improving the accuracy of difficult-to-predict outcomes. We compared the accuracy of traditional and machine-learning approaches for predicting BED treatment outcomes. METHODS: Participants were 191 adults with BED in a randomized controlled trial testing 6-month behavioral and stepped-care treatments. Outcomes, determined by independent assessors, were binge-eating (% reduction, abstinence), eating-disorder psychopathology, and weight loss (% loss, ⩾5% loss). Predictors included treatment condition, demographic information, and baseline clinical characteristics. Traditional models were logistic/linear regressions. Machine-learning models were elastic net regressions and random forests. Predictive accuracy was indicated by the area under receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), root mean square error (RMSE), and R2. Confidence intervals were used to compare accuracy across models. RESULTS: Across outcomes, AUC ranged from very poor to fair (0.49-0.73) for logistic regressions, elastic nets, and random forests, with few significant differences across model types. RMSE was significantly lower for elastic nets and random forests v. linear regressions but R2 values were low (0.01-0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Different analytic approaches revealed some predictors of key treatment outcomes, but accuracy was limited. Machine-learning models with unbiased resampling methods provided a minimal advantage over traditional models in predictive accuracy for treatment outcomes.

Naltrexone-Bupropion and Behavior Therapy, Alone and Combined, for Binge-Eating Disorder: Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Binge-eating disorder, the most prevalent eating disorder, is a serious public health problem associated with obesity, psychiatric and medical comorbidities, and functional impairments. Binge-eating disorder remains underrecognized and infrequently treated, and few evidence-based treatments exist. The authors tested the effectiveness of naltrexone-bupropion and behavioral weight loss therapy (BWL), alone and combined, for binge-eating disorder comorbid with obesity. METHODS: In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted from February 2017 to February 2021, using a 2×2 balanced factorial design, 136 patients with binge-eating disorder (81.6% women; mean age, 46.5 years; mean BMI, 37.1) were randomized to one of four 16-week treatments: placebo (N=34), naltrexone-bupropion (N=32), BWL+placebo (N=35), or BWL+naltrexone-bupropion (N=35). Overall, 81.7% of participants completed independent posttreatment assessments. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat binge-eating remission rates were 17.7% in the placebo group, 31.3% in the naltrexone-bupropion group, 37.1% in the BWL+placebo group, and 57.1% in the BWL+naltrexone-bupropion group. Logistic regression of binge-eating remission revealed that BWL was significantly superior to no BWL, and that naltrexone-bupropion was significantly superior to placebo, but there was no significant interaction between BWL and medication. Mixed models of complementary measures of binge-eating frequency also indicated that BWL was significantly superior to no BWL. The rates of participants attaining 5% weight loss were 11.8% in the placebo group, 18.8% in the naltrexone-bupropion group, 31.4% in the BWL+placebo group, and 38.2% in the BWL+naltrexone-bupropion group. Logistic regression of 5% weight loss and mixed models of percent weight loss both revealed that BWL was significantly superior to no BWL. Mixed models revealed significantly greater improvements for BWL than no BWL on secondary measures (eating disorder psychopathology, depression, eating behaviors, and cholesterol and HbA1c levels). CONCLUSIONS: BWL and naltrexone-bupropion were associated with significant improvements in binge-eating disorder, with a consistent pattern of BWL being superior to no BWL.

24-Month follow-up of randomized controlled trial of guided-self-help for loss-of-control eating after bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Loss-of-control (LOC)-eating postoperatively predicts suboptimal longer-term outcomes following bariatric surgery. This study examined longer-term effects through 24-month follow-ups after completing treatments in a randomized controlled trial testing guided-self-help treatments (cognitive-behavioral therapy [gshCBT] and behavioral weight-loss [gshBWL]) and control (CON) delivered postoperatively for LOC-eating. METHODS: 140 patients with LOC-eating 6 months after bariatric surgery were randomized (5:5:2 ratio) to 3-months of gshCBT (n = 56), gshBWL (n = 60), or CON (n = 24) delivered by trained allied-health clinicians. Independent assessments were performed throughout/after treatments and at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month follow-ups; 83% of patients were assessed at 24-month follow-up. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analyses comparing the three groups (gshCBT vs. gshBWL vs. CON) in LOC-eating abstinence at posttreatment (30%, 27%, 38%), 12-month follow-up (34%, 32%, 42%), and 24-month follow-up (45%, 32%, 38%) revealed no significant differences. Mixed-models revealed significantly reduced LOC-eating frequency through posttreatment, no significant changes in LOC-eating frequency during follow-up, and no differences between the three groups. Weight reduced significantly, albeit modestly, through posttreatment but increased significantly and substantially during follow-ups, with no differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the 12-week scalable guided-self-help treatments did not differ from each other or control, were associated with significantly reduced frequency of LOC-eating and modest weight loss at posttreatment but were followed by significant weight gain during the 24-month follow-up. Weight gain was substantial and nearly universal whereas the frequency of LOC-eating did not change over time (i.e., LOC-eating reductions and abstinence rates were well maintained through 24-moth follow-ups). Patients with postoperative LOC-eating require more intensive adjunctive treatments. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Loss-of-control (LOC) eating postoperatively predicts poorer bariatric surgery outcomes and the longer-term effects of postoperative adjunctive postoperative interventions for LOC eating are unknown. In this 24-month follow-up of a controlled study of scalable guided-self-help treatments and a control condition, improvements in LOC-eating frequency, eating-disorder psychopathology, and depression during treatment were maintained well, with no differences between the three groups. Proportion of patients achieving abstinence from LOC-eating at the 24-month follow-up ranged from 38% to 45% across the three groups. In contrast, weight increased significantly during the 24-month follow-ups, with no differences between the three groups. Findings suggest LOC-eating following bariatric surgery might represent a "marker" for a subgroup of patients that are at risk for substantial weight gains over time. LOC eating following bariatric surgery is challenging to treat with low-intensity scalable treatments and may require more intensive specialist treatments.

Examining weight bias before and/or after bariatric surgery: A systematic review.

Research examining weight bias in the bariatric population, who may be at greater risk of weight stigma, is scarce. The present study aimed to systematically review the literature for quantitative evidence that explores the medical, psychosocial, and behavioral sequelae associated with experienced, internalized, and/or externalized weight bias in patients seeking or who have undergone bariatric surgery. Five databases were systematically searched for English peer-reviewed quantitative studies, which examined weight bias in a sample of individuals seeking or who had undergone bariatric surgery. Risk of bias was assessed. Twenty-nine studies were included, of which 13 examined internalized weight bias, 12 examined experienced weight bias, 4 examined both, and 0 examined externalized weight bias. Most studies were cross-sectional, and the results showed high risk of bias. The results suggested that both experienced and internalized weight bias were associated with a host of negative psychosocial, behavioral, and medical sequelae. The findings of this review underscore the need for more rigorous research to better understand the relationship between weight bias and bariatric surgery, particularly longitudinally. Future patients may benefit from research developing interventions for reducing weight bias prior to and following bariatric surgery in order to reduce the associated negative correlates and improve outcomes.

Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the eating disorder examination in the longitudinal assessment of bariatric surgery study.

BACKGROUND: Psychometric studies of eating disorder measures within bariatric surgery populations are limited. OBJECTIVES: To examine the interrater reliability and internal consistency of the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) among patients before and after bariatric surgery. SETTING: Three clinical centers of the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery Research Consortium. METHODS: The EDE-Bariatric Surgery Version was administered and audio-recorded by trained interviewers before and at annual assessments after bariatric surgery. Approximately 20% of interviews were randomly selected for rating by a second interviewer. Reliability of the original and brief EDE subscales was examined. RESULTS: Interrater reliability of the EDE subscales ranged from .86-.97 for the original subscales and .83-.95 for brief subscales before surgery, and .90-.98 for the original subscales and .92-.97 for brief subscales after bariatric surgery. Interrater agreement (based on kappa) was almost perfect for overeating and binge-eating behaviors and substantial for loss-of-control eating before surgery. Similar interrater agreements (based on kappa) were observed after surgery for subjective overeating and binge-eating episodes. Internal consistency of the subscale and global scores was variable, ranging from .41-.97. CONCLUSION: Findings provide support of the interrater reliability of the EDE, albeit with variable internal consistency, before and after bariatric surgery. Despite support for trained raters to reliably assess EDE constructs, variability in internal consistency suggests that further psychometric testing and rigorous scale development of disordered eating may be needed for the bariatric surgery population.

Ethnic and racial comparisons of weight-loss treatment utilization history and outcomes in patients with obesity and binge-eating disorder.

BACKGROUND: This study examined ethnic/racial differences in reported utilization of weight-loss methods/treatments and weight loss among adults with binge-eating disorder (BED) with co-existing obesity. METHODS: Participants were 400 adults (non-Hispanic Black: n = 99, Hispanic: n = 38, non-Hispanic White: n = 263) seeking treatment for BED in Connecticut from 2007 to 2012. Participants were asked about prior weight-loss methods/treatments and resulting weight losses. RESULTS: Overall, self-help diets were utilized most; mental-health services were utilized least. While non-significant differences for most methods/treatments were observed by ethnicity/race, significant differences emerged for self-help diets and supervised programs with non-Hispanic Whites, in general, utilizing these diets more frequently and losing more weight on these types of diets. CONCLUSIONS: Among treatment-seeking patients with BED and obesity, non-Hispanic White patients reported histories of greater weight-loss treatment utilization and weight loss than non-White patients for supervised and self-help diets. Findings highlight the need for greater understanding of treatment utilization and outcomes among minority patients with obesity and BED.

Body Image Concerns and Associated Impairment Among Adults Seeking Body Contouring Following Bariatric Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The current study examined a range of body image concerns and associated distress and impairment in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and are seeking subsequent body contouring surgery. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the hypotheses that individuals seeking body contouring endorse a broad pattern of body image concerns and that overall body image concern is associated with greater impairment and disability. METHODS: The participants were 56 adults seeking body contouring surgery after bariatric surgery. All participants completed a self-report questionnaire designed for the present study to assess body image concerns specific to patients who have undergone bariatric surgery and a battery of established measures of disability, impairment, and eating-disorder psychopathology. RESULTS: The most commonly endorsed concerns were related to loose skin (body dissatisfaction, feeling embarrassed in public, and skin rashes) whereas the least endorsed items included concerns related to scars from bariatric surgery (body dissatisfaction, avoidance of social situations, and difficulty concentrating). Participants endorsed a broad pattern of frequent distress and impairment related to physical body image changes post-bariatric surgery. Greater body image concerns were associated significantly with higher levels of disability, work-related impairment, and eating-disorder psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Patients seeking body contouring surgery reported a range of body image concerns with significant associated distress, disability, and impairment related to physical changes post-bariatric surgery. The present findings underscore that although bariatric surgery is effective for reducing weight and metabolic disturbances, additional interventions for addressing body image concerns that are frequently distressing and impairing may be needed.

Examination of night eating and loss-of-control eating following bariatric surgery.

PURPOSE: Post-operative loss-of-control (LOC)-eating is a negative prognostic indicator for long-term outcomes following bariatric surgery. Emerging research suggests that night eating might also be associated with poorer post-operative outcomes. This study examined the co-occurrence and clinical features of night eating in patients with LOC-eating following bariatric surgery. METHODS: Participants were 131 adults who sought treatment for eating/weight concerns 6 months following sleeve gastrectomy. The Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview (Bariatric-Surgery-Version) assessed LOC-eating, regular night eating (at least weekly), and eating-disorder psychopathology. Participants completed the Night Eating Questionnaire (NEQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). RESULTS: Approximately, 15% met screening criteria for night-eating syndrome based on the NEQ. Greater NEQ scores were associated significantly with race, lower percent total weight loss (%TWL), and greater EDE, BDI-II, and PSQI scores. Similar results were observed when comparing groups with regular night eating (21.4%) versus without (78.6%); adjusting for race and %TWL revealed similar findings. DISCUSSION: In post-bariatric patients with LOC-eating, 15% likely had night-eating syndrome and 21.4% engaged in regular night-eating behavior. The co-occurrence of LOC-eating and regular night eating following sleeve gastrectomy may represent a more severe subgroup with elevated psychopathology, poorer sleep and %TWL. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies.

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Attitudes Toward Persons with Obesity (ATOP) Scale in a Preoperative and Postoperative Bariatric Surgery Sample.

BACKGROUND: The Attitudes Toward Persons with Obesity (ATOP) scale is widely used to assess stigmatization toward persons with obesity. The measure has previously been suggested to assess three facets-self-esteem, personality, and social difficulties-however, psychometric support for this has been inconsistent and warrants further study if the measure intends to be scored this way. OBJECTIVES: Explore and confirm the factor structure of the ATOP in people assessed prior to bariatric surgery and reassessed 1 year postoperatively SETTING: Midwestern hospital in the USA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-hundred sixteen people who were seeking bariatric surgery were assessed preoperatively, and 161 of those people were reassessed 1 year after surgery with a battery of measures including the ATOP. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on ATOP data from a random split-half of people before surgery, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the second randomly selected half. With the postoperative sample, a CFA was performed, testing the best-fitting model from the preoperative CFA findings. RESULTS: The EFA suggested a two-factor structure interpreted as self-esteem and personality/social difficulties. This structure was supported by CFA performed on the second randomly selected half of people at preoperative assessment and by CFA performed on people 1 year following surgery. Tests of measurement invariance suggested that the two-factor structure was similar at both time points. CONCLUSIONS: Only two factors for the ATOP were empirically supported in the current sample (self-esteem and personality/social difficulties), which is slightly different from the three factors that were originally proposed when the measure was developed. This factor structure is supported both prior to bariatric surgery and 1 year after bariatric surgery.

Disordered eating following bariatric surgery: a review of measurement and conceptual considerations.

Eating disorders are associated with significant medical morbidity and mortality and serious psychological impairment. Individuals seeking bariatric surgery represent a high-risk group for evidencing disordered eating and eating disorders, with some patients experiencing the persistence or onset of disordered eating postsurgery. This review synthesizes the available literature on problematic or disordered eating in the bariatric field, followed by a review of measurement and conceptual considerations related to the use of eating disorder assessment tools within the bariatric population.

Examining Weight Bias and Loss-of-Control Eating among Individuals Seeking Bariatric Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Externalized weight bias (EWB), directed towards others, and internalized weight bias (IWB), directed towards the self, are thought to exacerbate obesity and disordered eating and may be important factors to assess and understand among individuals seeking bariatric surgery. This study examined clinical correlates (pre-surgical BMI, depressive symptoms, weight self-efficacy, and shape/weight overvaluation) of both EWB and IWB among individuals presenting for bariatric surgery with and without regular loss-of-control eating (LOC eating). METHODS: A total of 316 adults presenting for bariatric surgery completed established self-report measures to assess EWB, IWB, depressive symptoms, weight self-efficacy, and core symptoms of disordered eating including LOC eating and overvaluation of shape/weight. RESULTS: IWB and EWB were not associated with pre-surgical BMI, age, or sex, but were both significantly higher among White than non-White participants. Adjusting for race, IWB and EWB were significantly associated with greater eating disorder psychopathology and depressive symptoms and with less weight-related self-efficacy. Participants who endorsed regular LOC eating (53.5% of the sample) endorsed significantly lower weight self-efficacy and higher IWB, EWB, depressive symptoms, and overvaluation of shape/weight. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that regular LOC eating is common among individuals seeking bariatric surgery and associated with a range of heightened eating disorder and psychosocial concerns including both IWB and EWB. Future research exploring the longitudinal significance of the relationship between these two forms of weight bias and LOC eating is indicated.