| There has long been a debate over whether binge | | | | virtually identical weight loss profiles in the twelve |
| eating presents a gastric bypass risk and increases | | | | months after their gastric bypass. |
| the possibility of a poor outcome following surgery. A | | | | Prior to surgery the average body mass index was |
| recent report published in the Journal of Clinical | | | | 51.7, placing the group well over the body mass index |
| Psychiatry may however shed new light on this | | | | figure of 40 which defines extreme, or morbid, obesity. |
| argument. | | | | One year after surgery this figure had fallen to just |
| The study carried out at the Yale University School of | | | | 33.3, bringing many of those in the study group close to |
| Medicine involved nearly 140 extremely obese patients | | | | a normal body mass index. |
| and looked at their eating habits prior to surgery and | | | | Also of importance, this study reported that, although |
| then followed them up during the twelve months after | | | | some of the binge eaters did experience slightly |
| gastric bypass surgery. | | | | elevated, but relatively easily managed, eating related |
| Of the study group, some 40 patients reported binge | | | | disturbances after surgery, their pre-surgical anxiety |
| eating in the month before their operation and | | | | had reduced considerably and there was little if any |
| approximately ten percent of the study group were | | | | difference at all between binge eaters and non-binge |
| classified as meeting the criteria to be diagnosed as | | | | eaters in terms of depression following surgery. |
| having binge eating disorder. It was also noted that | | | | While the results of the study are of course |
| those people classed as binge eaters were | | | | encouraging, it should be remembered that the study |
| considerably more nervous about their impending | | | | has only followed this group of patients for a period of |
| surgery than the non-binge eaters. | | | | twelve months so far. It will be necessary to see this, |
| Following surgery the study noted that there was no | | | | and other studies, running over a period of several |
| difference of note between the two groups and that | | | | years following gastric bypass before we can be sure |
| both binge eaters and non-binge eaters showed | | | | that these initial results will hold true in the longer term. |