Food Addiction and Grazing-The Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Negative Urgency in University Students.

University students are a vulnerable population to the development of disordered eating, such as food addiction (FA) and grazing. FA is an emerging concept characterized by an intense desire to eat hyper-palatable foods. Grazing is characterized by the repetitive and unplanned ingestion of food throughout a period of time. Both FA and grazing have been associated with increased scores of negative urgency (NU) and difficulties in emotion regulation (ER). This study aims to evaluate the frequency of FA and grazing in a university population and to test the direct, total, and indirect effects-via FA-of ER and NU on repetitive eating and compulsive grazing. A total of 338 participants responded to a set of psychological measures assessing these variables. Thirty-six (10.7%) participants met the criteria for FA diagnosis and 184 (54.4%) presented grazing. Confirmatory factor analysis showed acceptable fit indexes for the model tested (χ2(1695) = 3167.575; p < 0.001; CFI = 0.955; NFI = 0.908; TLI = 0.953; SRMR = 0.085; RMSEA = 0.051; CI 90% (0.048; 0.053); P[RMSEA ≤ 0.05] = 0.318) and suggested that FA partially mediated the effect of difficulties in ER and NU on grazing, specifically on compulsive grazing. The results indicate that individuals with difficulties in ER and impulse control under negative emotions are more likely to engage in grazing if food addiction scores are higher. These results highlight the importance of assessing these variables, particularly in at-risk populations such as university students.

Adaptation, confirmatory factor analysis, and psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Repetitive Eating Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The Repetitive Eating Questionnaire (Rep(eat)-Q) is a brief self-report measure developed to assess grazing behavior-an understudied problematic eating behavior associated with eating disorder psychopathology and poor weight management. This study aimed to adapt and test the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Rep(eat)-Q in a Brazilian community sample. METHOD: We used the International Test Commission guidelines for the adaptation of psychological measures between cultures. Participants were recruited from the community and on a university campus and completed a set of questionnaires including the Rep(eat)-Q, psychological measures, and sociodemographic data. RESULTS: A total of 718 (86.4% female) completed the Rep(eat)-Q and were eligible for the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Only 542 completed the entire survey (Rep(eat)-Q and other psychological measures) and were eligible for the analysis of the validity evidence based on the relations to other variables. CFA revealed support for a two first-order model as originally proposed, however, a hierarchical (i.e., second-order) model is proposed. We found support for second-order scalar invariance across sex. Both first- and second-order internal consistency estimates presented very good evidence. Analysis (n = 542) revealed moderate to strong correlations (≥.58 to .77) between grazing (total score and subscales) and binge eating and other psychological measures, presenting good convergent evidence. DISCUSSION: This study reports good psychometric properties of the Rep(eat)-Q for the Brazilian community sample. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Grazing is a problematic eating behavior and the Rep(eat)-Q is one of the measures to assess grazing. The article aimed to adapt and test the psychometric properties of the Rep(eat)-Q in a Brazilian community sample. The results support a two-factor structure and suggest that the Rep(eat)-Q possesses good psychometric properties to be used with the Brazilian populations.

Experiences of parent-adolescent dyads regarding a Facebook-based intervention to improve overweight/obesity treatment in adolescents: A qualitative study.

APOLO-Teens is a Facebook-based psychological intervention aiming to optimize hospital treatment for adolescents with overweight/obesity. The present qualitative study aims to explore (1) how adolescents experienced participation in APOLO-Teens and (2) how parents perceived adolescents' participation. Sixteen adolescent-parent dyads were interviewed by telephone using semistructured guides. An inductive approach of thematic analysis was used to analyze data by two independent codifiers. The consensus was used to resolve differences in coding/themes, and two independent auditors reviewed the codes and the themes proposed. We identified four themes from adolescents' interviews, namely, expectations, perception of outcomes, participation in the intervention, and sharing of acquired knowledge. From parents' interviews, we identified five themes: expectations for son/daughter participation, perception of adolescents' outcomes, son/daughter participation, parental role, and use of social networks in intervention programs for adolescents. Both elements of the dyad indicated that adolescents' participation in APOLO-Teens contributed to favorable outcomes, further highlighting the use of online interventions to complement the hospital treatment of adolescents with overweight/obesity. Future studies should address the viewpoints of adolescents and parents in the design of Facebook-based interventions, namely, to implement tailored, shorter, less time-demanding interventions that favor engagement between participants and parental involvement.

Problematic eating behaviors in patients undergoing bariatric surgery: Studying their relationship with psychopathology.

This study explored the associations between individuals presenting different problematic eating behaviors (Objective/Subjective binge-eating-OBE/SBE-and Compulsive/Non-compulsive grazing-C_Grazing/NC_Grazing) and eating disorder related symptoms. About 163 pre- and 131 post-bariatric patients were assessed. Assessment included: Face-to-face clinical interview to assess binge-eating and grazing episodes, and self-report measures to assess eating disorder symptomatology, psychological distress, and negative urgency. OBE and NC_Grazing were the problematic eating behaviors most and least associated with psychopathology, respectively. OBE and C_Grazing uniquely accounted for the significant variance in the most disordered eating variables. Our findings emphasize the need for the conceptualization of grazing behavior in the spectrum of disordered eating.

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on disordered eating behaviors: the mediation role of psychological distress.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the early associations between the experienced psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis during lockdown, depressive symptomatology, anxiety/stress levels, and disordered eating behaviors in adults during a first COVID-19 lockdown period. METHODS: This was a community-based cross-sectional study assessing 254 Portuguese adults (82.7% women; 35.82 ± 11.82 years) 1 week after the end of the first mandatory COVID-19 lockdown in Portugal. An online survey was conducted to evaluate psychological distress, disordered eating, and psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson correlations and Structural Equation Modeling were performed. RESULTS: Participants reported the presence of meal skipping (52.8%), grazing eating behavior (80.9%), overeating (81.0%), loss of control over eating (47.2%), and binge eating episodes (39.2%) during lockdown. Structural equation modeling analyses, controlling for age and sex, indicated that there was a significant indirect effect of the experienced psychosocial impact of COVID-19 pandemic on disordered eating behaviors mediated through psychological distress. CONCLUSION: The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis may lead to disordered eating, and this relation may occur through the elevation of psychological distress. These findings can be used to inform interventions, to enhance mental health and manage disordered eating during similar future situations. Level of evidence V: cross-sectional descriptive study.

Grazing's frequency and associations with obesity, psychopathology, and loss of control eating in clinical and community contexts: A systematic review.

The term grazing is generally described as the repetitive and nonplanned consumption of small amounts of food, not in response to hunger/satiety sensations. The present study aims to identify and critically review studies examining the frequency of grazing in both clinical and community samples, as well as, to investigate its relationship with eating disorder psychopathology, Loss of Control eating (LOC), psychological impairment, and weight-related variables. This systematic review followed the PRISMA recommendations for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis. A total of 138 articles were initially retrieved from the database search. In the end, 18 articles were considered for this systematic review. The results were separated in Grazing and Grazing-like behavior (picking and nibbling). Results of studies of grazing-like behaviors displays that, in these studies, the results are sometimes inconsistent and controversial. On the other hand, studies of Grazing behavior showed more consistent results. These results show that the use of different definitions across the literature makes it difficult to establish comparisons across studies. In this literature review, the studies selected used five different definitions of grazing and five different instruments to assess this eating behavior which reinforces the requirement for standardized definition and evaluation. More, the studies hereby revised suggested that LOC eating was considered in association with grazing, being significantly associated with higher levels of psychopathology and psychological impairment. In accordance, a growing body of research argues that LOC eating was a stronger predictor of eating disorder psychopathology than the amounts of food consumed. Furthermore, the results found by studies show an advance to literature with an accordance about LOC, supported by evidences in studies of this review.

Understanding Uncontrolled Eating after Bariatric Surgery: The Role of Excessive Skin and Body Image Shame.

Excess skin and disordered eating behaviors are referred to as some of the major negative consequences of bariatric surgery as well as body image shame. This study sought to explore how discomfort with excessive skin, body image shame, psychological distress, eating-related psychopathology, and negative urgency interact to understand uncontrolled eating among woman submitted to bariatric surgery. A cross-sectional sample of 137 women was evaluated postoperatively through self-report questionnaires assessing discomfort with excess skin, body image shame, eating-related psychopathology, negative urgency, and uncontrolled eating in a hospital center in the north of Portugal. Pearson correlations and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were performed. Body image shame mediated the relationship between discomfort with excess skin and eating-related psychopathology. In turn, the relationship between eating-related psychopathology and uncontrolled eating was mediated by negative urgency. This study highlights the impact of excess skin and body image shame on eating behavior post-bariatric-surgery. Considering the proven impact of uncontrolled eating on weight-loss results post-surgery, understanding the mechanisms underlying this problem is highly important. Our findings provide helpful insight for multidisciplinary teams committed to providing care to bariatric patients struggling with body image and eating difficulties.

Eating behaviors and weight outcomes in bariatric surgery patients amidst COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that eating habits are an area particularly affected by the lockdown imposed by many countries to curb the COVID-19 epidemic. Individuals that received bariatric surgery may represent a particularly susceptible population to the adverse effects of lockdown for its potential impact on eating, psychological, and weight loss outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to investigate the incremental impact of COVID-19 lockdown on treatment outcomes of postbariatric patients in the risk period for weight regain. SETTING: Main hospital center. METHODS: This work uses data from an ongoing longitudinal study of bariatric patients assessed before surgery (T0), 1.5 years after sugery (T1), and 3 years after surgery (T2). Two independent groups were compared: the COVID-19_Group (n = 35) where T0 and T1 assessments were conducted before the pandemic started and T2 assessment was conducted at the end of the mandatory COVID-19 lockdown; and the NonCOVID-19_Group (n = 66), covering patients who completed T0, T1, and T2 assessments before the epidemic began. Assessment included self-report measures for disordered eating, negative urgency, depression, anxiety, stress, and weight outcomes. RESULTS: General linear models for repeated measures showed that the COVID-19_Group presented significantly higher weight concern (F = 8.403, P = .005, ƞ2p = .094), grazing behavior (F = 7.166, P = .009, ƞ2p = .076), and negative urgency (F = 4.522, P = .036, ƞ2p = .05) than the NonCOVID-19_Group. The COVID-19_Group also showed less total weight loss (F = 4.029, P = .05, ƞ2p = .04) and larger weight regain at T2, with more COVID-19_Group participants experiencing excessive weight regain (20% versus 4.5%). CONCLUSION: These results show evidence for the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on eating-related psychopathology and weight outcomes in postbariatric surgery patients.

A preliminary study on the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 lockdown in post-bariatric surgery women: the importance of eating behavior, health care access, and social support.

This study aims to characterize the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 lockdown for post-bariatric surgery (≥ 36 months) women and its association with disordered eating and psychological distress. The medium to long-time follow up is a period of increased susceptibility for poorer weight outcomes which might be triggered by the lockdown. Twenty-four participants responded to an online questionnaire and a telephone interview. About half (n = 14; 58.3%) reported perceived weight gain during the lockdown, 13 (54.1%) limited access to social support, and 12 (50%) limited access to medical care. Co-habiting with a higher number of persons during lockdown was associated with fewer difficulties in dealing with emotionally activating situations, less fear of gaining weight, less fear of losing control over eating, and less disordered eating. The global perceived psychosocial impact of lockdown was significantly correlated with difficulties in dealing with emotionally activating situations and stress symptoms. Results highlight the need to monitor post-bariatric patients, facilitate health care access, and promote social support during the lockdown period. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-021-01529-6.

Exploring Correlates of Loss of Control Eating in a Nonclinical Sample.

OBJECTIVE: Loss of control (LOC) eating has been directly related to the core aspects of the psychopathology of eating disorders and to different dimensions of emotion and behavior regulation and self-criticism. This study investigates a model representing the interplay between these dimensions to understand LOC eating among a nonclinical sample. METHODS: A total of 341 participants, recruited in a college campus (mean age 23.21, SD = 6.02), completed a set of self-report measures assessing LOC eating, weight suppression, psychopathology of eating disorders, depression, negative urgency, emotion regulation difficulties, and self-criticism. Path analysis modeling tested a hypothesized model with 3 paths for LOC eating as follows: (1) psychopathology of eating disorders; (2) emotion and behavior regulation; and (3) interplay between these paths. RESULTS: We found goodness-of-fit indexes to our data: χ2 = 17.11, df = 10, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.99, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.98, Root Mean Square Error Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.045, Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.041, suggesting that: (1) participants with higher weight suppression showed higher degrees of the psychopathology of eating disorders, which was linked to higher levels of LOC eating; (2) self-criticism was a mediator between emotion regulation and depression/negative urgency; (3) self-criticism was a mediator between emotion regulation and disorder eating, which was significantly associated with LOC eating via increased negative urgency. CONCLUSION: Our model shows that LOC eating occurs for individuals with the psychopathology of higher eating disorders who experience depressive symptoms and act rashly under distress for their inability to cope adequately with negative feelings of self-devaluation. These findings point to the importance of negative self-evaluations and feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness to understand LOC eating among college students.

Weight loss expectations and weight loss after surgery: the mediating role of body image and weight concerns.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests bariatric patients' unrealistic expectations regarding weight loss after bariatric surgery are related to worse weight outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine preoperative weight loss expectations and their association with weight loss, body image, eating behavior, and depressive symptoms. SETTING: Hospital Centers, Portugal. METHODS: This longitudinal study assessed 64 bariatric patients. Participants were asked about their desired postoperative weight and responded to the following set of self-report measures before and 2 years after surgery: Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and Body Shape Questionnaire. RESULTS: The majority of participants (81.1%) did not reach the desired weight, 10 (13.5%) lost more weight than initially expected, and only 4 (5.4%) obtained the desired weight. More discrepant expectations were associated with more dissatisfaction with the body image and higher scores concerning eating psychopathology after surgery but not presurgery. Postsurgery body dissatisfaction and weight concerns were significant mediators in the relationship between discrepant expectations and poorer weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows bariatric patients hold preoperative unrealistic expectations about their weight loss, and that they sustain those expectations in the postoperative time. Our findings bring evidence for an interplay between preoperative and postoperative factors to explain weight loss. Educating about flexible weight loss goals before surgery may be a simple strategy to optimize psychological functioning and weight loss after surgery.

The utility of DSM-5 indicators of loss of control eating for the bariatric surgery population.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the utility of DSM-5 indicators of loss of control (LOC) eating in adult bariatric surgery patients who presented with binge-eating episodes. METHODS: Participants (all women) were 40 preoperative and 28 postoperative bariatric surgery patients reporting objective binge eating (OBE), 46 preoperative and 52 postoperative with subjective binge-eating (SBE), 53 bulimia nervosa (BN) controls, and 34 binge-eating disorder (BED) controls. Face-to-face Eating Disorder Examination interviews and questionnaires were administered. ANOVA, T-test, χ 2 , and regressions compared the groups in terms of LOC indicators endorsed and to explain disordered eating psychopathology. RESULTS: The indicator most commonly reported by bariatric patients with OBE was "feeling disgusted" (90% and 75% of pre- and postoperative groups), and the least endorsed was "eating alone" (40 and 28.6%). These indicators were reported by >84.9% of the BN and BED. Bariatric patients (pre- or post-surgery) with OBE only reported a higher number of indicators than patients with SBE only (t(150) = 2.34, p = .021). A higher number of indicators reported were associated with increased eating-related psychopathology (F(1,134) = 31.06, p < .001), but only for the post-surgery patients. CONCLUSIONS: The LOC indicators proposed by DSM-5 need to be refined or revised for the bariatric population. Highlights Bariatric patients endorse fewer LOC indicators than BN or BED during a binge-eating episode. Some of the DSM-5 LOC indicators may not be suited to assess episodes of loss of control eating among bariatric patients. The Higher the number of LOC indicators reported, the higher the eating-related psychopathology.

Perceived social support before and after bariatric surgery: association with depression, problematic eating behaviors, and weight outcomes.

PURPOSE: Engaging in a healthy lifestyle after bariatric surgery is essential to optimize and sustain weight loss in the long term. There is promising evidence that social support of patients who undergo bariatric surgery plays an important role in promoting a better quality of life and adherence to the required behavioral changes and medical appointments. This study sought to investigate: (a) if post-operative patients experience different levels of perceived social support compared to pre-operative patients; (b) correlations between perceived social support, depression, disordered eating, and weight outcomes; (c) if social support is a moderator between psychological distress, and disordered eating behavior and weight outcomes. METHODS: A group of 65 patients assessed pre-surgery and another group of 65 patients assessed post-surgery (M = 26.12; SD 7.97 months since surgery) responded to a set of self-report measures assessing social support, eating disorder psychopathology, disordered eating, and depression. RESULTS: Greater social support was associated with lower depression, emotional eating, weight and shape concerns, and greater weight loss in pre- and post-surgery groups. Social support was found to be a moderator between different psychological/weight variables but only for the post-surgery group: the relation between depression and eating disorder psychopathology or weight loss was significant for patients scoring medium to high level is social support; the relation between grazing and weight regain was significant for patients scoring medium to low levels of social support. CONCLUSIONS: The associations found between perceived social support and depression, disordered eating and weight outcomes highlight the importance of considering and working with the social support network of patients undergoing bariatric surgery to optimize treatment outcomes. Level of Evidence  Level III: case-control study.

Weight loss trajectories and psychobehavioral predictors of outcome of primary and reoperative bariatric surgery: a 2-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Long-term behavioral and psychological aspects associated with weight outcomes after reoperative bariatric surgery have rarely been investigated. OBJECTIVES: This study sought (1) to identify differences in weight loss trajectories during the first 24 months in reoperative bariatric surgery (R group) and primary bariatric surgery (P group) and (2) to investigate pre- and postsurgery psychobehavioral predictors of weight loss and weight regain for both groups. SETTING: Hospital center and university, Portugal. METHODS: This longitudinal study compared an R group (n = 157) and a P group (n = 216). Patients were assessed at presurgery and at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postsurgery. Assessment included the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire and Repetitive Eating Questionnaire diagnostic interviews and a set of self-report measures assessing eating disorder symptomatology, grazing, depression, anxiety, and impulsive behavior. RESULTS: The P and R groups presented a similar trajectory for the percentage of total weight loss (%TWL) (ß = 1.46, standard error = 1.96; Wald χ2 = .55, P = .457) and weight regain (ß = 1.66, standard error = 2.72; Wald χ2 = .24, P = .622). No significant presurgery predictors of weight loss and weight regain were found for the P and R groups. Regarding postsurgery predictors, higher Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire scores (Wald χ2(1) = 6.88, P = .009) and grazing behavior (Wald χ2(1) = 8.30, P = .004) were associated with less %TWL for both groups. Belonging to the P group emerged as a significant predictor of more weight loss (Wald χ2(1) = 7.25, P = .007). Postsurgery anxiety predicted less %TWL in R group (Wald χ2(1) = 3.89, P = .043). Considering weight regain, higher postoperative disordered eating (global Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire; Wald χ2(1) = 4.66, P = .031) was associated with increased weight regain for the P and R groups. CONCLUSIONS: Problematic eating behaviors and psychological distress are significant predictors of poor weight outcomes for both groups.

Psychological and Behavioral Aspects of Primary and Reoperative Surgery: a 6-Month Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: Problematic eating behaviors and general psychopathology have been associated with poor weight loss after bariatric surgery. However, little is known about how these aspects impact weight loss outcomes for the increasing number of patients undergoing reoperative surgeries. This study compares disordered eating and weight-related outcomes before and 6 months after surgery in patients undergoing primary (P-Group) and reoperative bariatric surgery (R-Group). METHODS: This longitudinal study assessed 122 P-Group and 116 R-Group patients before and 6 months after surgery. The assessment included the eating disorder examination diagnostic items, and a set of self-report measures assessing eating disorder symptomatology, grazing, depression, anxiety, and negative urgency. RESULTS: Preoperatively, no differences were found between the R- and P-Groups in terms of disordered eating-related variables (except for shape concern, which was higher for the R-Group). At 6 months after surgery, the R-Group revealed significantly higher values for restraint (F(1,219) = 5.84, p = 0.016), shape (F(1,219) = 5.59, p = 0.019), weight concerns (F(1,219) = 13.36, p = 0.000), depression (F(1,219) = 7.17, p = 0.008), anxiety (F(1,219) = 6.94, p = - 0.009), and compulsive grazing (F(1,219) = 6.13, p = 0.014). No significant pre- or post-surgery predictors of weight loss were found for the P-Group (χ2 = 0.70, p = 0.872). In the R-Group, post-surgery anxiety (Waldχ2(1) = 6.19, p = 0.01) and the post-surgery number of days with grazing in the previous month (Waldχ2(1) = 3.90, p = 0.04) were significant predictors of weight loss. CONCLUSION: At 6 months after surgery, the R-Group presented more problematic eating and general psychological distress, which may put these patients at greater risk of poorer long-term weight outcomes.

Problematic eating behaviors and psychopathology in patients undergoing bariatric surgery: The mediating role of loss of control eating.

OBJECTIVE: This study compares different problematic eating behaviors (PEBs; objective [OBE]/subjective [SBE] binge-eating and compulsive [CG]/noncompulsive [NCG] grazing) in relation to the severity of loss of control (LOC) and psychopathology. We also investigate LOC as a mediator between PEBs and psychopathology. METHOD: This cross-sectional study assessed a group of patients before bariatric surgery (n = 163), and a group of bariatric patients 12 months or more after surgery (n = 131). Face-to-face assessment: Eating Disorders Examination for binge-eating episodes; Rep(eat) for grazing. LOC was measured by five questions answered in a 5-point Likert scale. Self-report measures: disordered eating, grazing, negative urgency, depression, anxiety, and stress. RESULTS: OBEs were reported by 26(8.8%), SBE by 29(9.8%), CG by 35(11.9%), and NCG by 36(12.2%) of patients. The different PEBs differed significantly in the severity of LOC (F(3,120)= 25.81, p < .001). Patients reporting OBEs scored higher and patients with NCG scored lower in most measures than patients with other PEBs. Patients with any PEBs scored higher in all self-report measures than those not reporting any PEBs, with statistical significance reached for uncontrolled eating (F(4,288)= 20.21, p < .001), emotional eating (F(4,288)= 23.10, p < .001), repetitive eating F(4,288)= 18.34, p < .001), and compulsive grazing (F(4,288)= 27.14, p < .001). LOC was found to be a full mediator between PEBs and psychopathology. DISCUSSION: There is no evidence that the different PEBs differ in the psychopathology severity, independently of the experience of LOC eating during the eating episodes. We show evidence for the conceptualization of different PEB, including grazing, on a continuous scale of LOC and psychopathology.

Psychological, behavioral, and weight-related aspects of patients undergoing reoperative bariatric surgery after gastric band: comparison with primary surgery patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients experiencing insufficient weight loss or weight regain in their first bariatric surgery may represent a high-risk group with greater problematic eating and general psychopathology levels, which may compromise the success of a reoperative procedure. OBJECTIVES: This study seeks to describe and compare disordered eating-related psychological and behavioral features of primary and reoperative surgery candidates after gastric band. SETTING: Hospital center and university in Portugal. METHODS: The baseline (preoperative) data from a longitudinal observational study are presented. Patients were interviewed by trained psychologists to identify binge-eating episodes and grazing and responded to a set of self-report measures: disordered eating, grazing, negative urgency, depression, anxiety, and stress. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-five patients were undergoing primary surgery, and 166 were undergoing reoperative (REOP group) surgery. The groups did not differ in body mass index preoperatively, but the REOP group had greater weight suppression (t387 = -5.35, P = .001), higher highest (t387 = -3.40, P = .001) and lower lowest body mass index (t381 = 2.22, P = .03). The main reasons for reoperative surgery were weight regain/poor weight loss (42.8%) or medical complications (32.5%). REOP patients with objective binge eating reported a higher frequency of these episodes (t47 = 2.15, P = .04). No significant difference was found for the self-report measures assessed (only shape concern was higher for REOP group, F1,216 = 8.30, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the preoperative similarities between patients undergoing reoperative or primary surgeries, the differences in binge eating and weight-related variables may associate with postoperative difficulties. The link between binge eating, weight suppression, and weight gain found in other samples suggests that patients undergoing reoperative surgery may be at increased risk for poor weight outcomes.

Repetitive eating questionnaire [Rep(eat)-Q]: Enlightening the concept of grazing and psychometric properties in a Portuguese sample.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Grazing has been associated with poor weight loss or weight regain in obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery, but research remains scarce and complicated by the use of different non-validated measures. The aim of this paper is to describe the validation of the Rep(eat)-Q, a self-report measure developed to assess grazing, and investigates its relationship with BMI and psychopathology. SUBJECTS/METHODS: 1223 university students and community participants (non-clinical; Study A) and 154 pre-bariatric and 84 post-bariatric patients (Study B) completed a set of self-report measures, including the Rep(eat)-Q (worded in Portuguese), to assess disordered eating, depression, anxiety, stress and impulsivity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses tested the factor structure; internal consistency construct, convergent and divergent validity were also tested. RESULTS: The Rep(eat)-Q scales showed good internal consistency (α ≥ 0.849) and temporal stability (rsp = 0.824, p < 0.000). Factor analyses generated two subscales: compulsive grazing and repetitive eating. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were found between the Rep(eat)-Q and BMI in the non-clinical population and weight loss and weight regain in the bariatric sample. Generally, the correlations with psychological distress were weak (rsp < 0.4). Strong and significant (rsp≥0.4; p's < 0.05) correlations were found between compulsive grazing and eating disorder psychopathology. Repetitive eating subscale was inversely correlated with cognitive restraint (rsp -0.321, p < 0.05) and directly correlated with uncontrolled eating and emotional eating (rsp = 0.754; rsp = 0.691; p < 0.05). DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The Rep(eat)-Q is a valid measure to assess grazing in non-clinical and in bariatric surgery populations. Grazing can be conceptualized on the spectrum of disordered eating behavior, and appears associated with loss of control over eating. Considering the link between grazing and weight outcomes, the Rep(eat)-Q represents a necessary strategy for the systematic screening of grazing.