Bariatric surgery is rapidly gaining acceptance among the morbidly obese population, yet studies assessing variables associated with post-surgical outcomes have yielded inconsistent findings. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the association between the relative reinforcing value of food (RRV-F), delay discounting for food (DD-F), and other eating-related and non eating-related variables to post-bariatric surgery percent total weight loss (%TWL) and substance-related outcomes. Participants were a convenience sample of 147 adults with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Using online survey methodology, variables that may contribute to post-surgical %TWL and substance use outcomes were assessed: the RRV-F, DDF, quality of life, and other eating-related variables (food addiction, binge eating, dietary restraint, disinhibition, craving, grazing, nocturnal eating, and emotional eating). The RRV-F was significantly associated with post-bariatric surgery %TWL, while the DD-F was not found to be a valid measure of food-related impulsivity among post-bariatric surgery patients. Weight loss and substance-related outcomes were inversely related, as those who achieved less weight loss were more likely to endorse symptoms of a probable post-surgical substance use disorder (SUD). Dietary restraint and disinhibition were found to influence %TWL, while the eating related variables found to contribute most significantly to a probable post-surgical SUD were nocturnal eating, food addiction, subjective feelings of hunger, and environmental sensitivity to food cues. Family history of substance abuse was also strongly associated with endorsing symptoms of a probable post-surgical SUD. Regarding %TWL outcomes, results suggest strongly advising post-bariatric surgery patients to avoid substance use. With respect to endorsing symptoms of a probable SUD, results have practical implications in that family history of SUD can be easily assessed, and at-risk patients can be advised accordingly. In addition, those who develop post-bariatric surgery SUD appear to have stronger cognitive and behavioral responses to food, providing some support for the concept of \"addiction transfer.\"
","abstract_html":"<p>Bariatric surgery is rapidly gaining acceptance among the morbidly obese population, yet studies assessing variables associated with post-surgical outcomes have yielded inconsistent findings. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the association between the relative reinforcing value of food (RRV-F), delay discounting for food (DD-F), and other eating-related and non eating-related variables to post-bariatric surgery percent total weight loss (%TWL) and substance-related outcomes. Participants were a convenience sample of 147 adults with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Using online survey methodology, variables that may contribute to post-surgical %TWL and substance use outcomes were assessed: the RRV-F, DDF, quality of life, and other eating-related variables (food addiction, binge eating, dietary restraint, disinhibition, craving, grazing, nocturnal eating, and emotional eating). The RRV-F was significantly associated with post-bariatric surgery %TWL, while the DD-F was not found to be a valid measure of food-related impulsivity among post-bariatric surgery patients. Weight loss and substance-related outcomes were inversely related, as those who achieved less weight loss were more likely to endorse symptoms of a probable post-surgical substance use disorder (SUD). Dietary restraint and disinhibition were found to influence %TWL, while the eating related variables found to contribute most significantly to a probable post-surgical SUD were nocturnal eating, food addiction, subjective feelings of hunger, and environmental sensitivity to food cues. Family history of substance abuse was also strongly associated with endorsing symptoms of a probable post-surgical SUD. Regarding %TWL outcomes, results suggest strongly advising post-bariatric surgery patients to avoid substance use. With respect to endorsing symptoms of a probable SUD, results have practical implications in that family history of SUD can be easily assessed, and at-risk patients can be advised accordingly. In addition, those who develop post-bariatric surgery SUD appear to have stronger cognitive and behavioral responses to food, providing some support for the concept of "addiction transfer."</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Reslan, Summar"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Open Access Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Karen K. Saules, Ph.D., Chair","Mark Greenwald, Ph.D.","Thomas Schmitt, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-08-28T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-08-28T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:51Z","subjects":["Eating disorders","obesity","substance abuse","weight loss","Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/434","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Karen K. Saules, Ph.D., Chair","Mark Greenwald, Ph.D.","Thomas Schmitt, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Reslan, Summar"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2013-04-22T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Eating disorders","obesity","substance abuse","weight loss","Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/434"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Bariatric surgery is rapidly gaining acceptance among the morbidly obese population, yet studies assessing variables associated with post-surgical outcomes have yielded inconsistent findings. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the association between the relative reinforcing value of food (RRV-F), delay discounting for food (DD-F), and other eating-related and non eating-related variables to post-bariatric surgery percent total weight loss (%TWL) and substance-related outcomes. Participants were a convenience sample of 147 adults with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Using online survey methodology, variables that may contribute to post-surgical %TWL and substance use outcomes were assessed: the RRV-F, DDF, quality of life, and other eating-related variables (food addiction, binge eating, dietary restraint, disinhibition, craving, grazing, nocturnal eating, and emotional eating). The RRV-F was significantly associated with post-bariatric surgery %TWL, while the DD-F was not found to be a valid measure of food-related impulsivity among post-bariatric surgery patients. Weight loss and substance-related outcomes were inversely related, as those who achieved less weight loss were more likely to endorse symptoms of a probable post-surgical substance use disorder (SUD). Dietary restraint and disinhibition were found to influence %TWL, while the eating related variables found to contribute most significantly to a probable post-surgical SUD were nocturnal eating, food addiction, subjective feelings of hunger, and environmental sensitivity to food cues. Family history of substance abuse was also strongly associated with endorsing symptoms of a probable post-surgical SUD. Regarding %TWL outcomes, results suggest strongly advising post-bariatric surgery patients to avoid substance use. With respect to endorsing symptoms of a probable SUD, results have practical implications in that family history of SUD can be easily assessed, and at-risk patients can be advised accordingly. In addition, those who develop post-bariatric surgery SUD appear to have stronger cognitive and behavioral responses to food, providing some support for the concept of \"addiction transfer.\"
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Relationships between food reinforcement and eating behaviors to bariatric surgery weight loss and substance abuse outcomes"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Karen K. Saules, Ph.D., Chair","Mark Greenwald, Ph.D.","Thomas Schmitt, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Reslan, Summar"],"dc:date.available":["2013-04-22T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Bariatric surgery is rapidly gaining acceptance among the morbidly obese population, yet studies assessing variables associated with post-surgical outcomes have yielded inconsistent findings. The purpose of this investigation was to assess the association between the relative reinforcing value of food (RRV-F), delay discounting for food (DD-F), and other eating-related and non eating-related variables to post-bariatric surgery percent total weight loss (%TWL) and substance-related outcomes. Participants were a convenience sample of 147 adults with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Using online survey methodology, variables that may contribute to post-surgical %TWL and substance use outcomes were assessed: the RRV-F, DDF, quality of life, and other eating-related variables (food addiction, binge eating, dietary restraint, disinhibition, craving, grazing, nocturnal eating, and emotional eating). The RRV-F was significantly associated with post-bariatric surgery %TWL, while the DD-F was not found to be a valid measure of food-related impulsivity among post-bariatric surgery patients. Weight loss and substance-related outcomes were inversely related, as those who achieved less weight loss were more likely to endorse symptoms of a probable post-surgical substance use disorder (SUD). Dietary restraint and disinhibition were found to influence %TWL, while the eating related variables found to contribute most significantly to a probable post-surgical SUD were nocturnal eating, food addiction, subjective feelings of hunger, and environmental sensitivity to food cues. Family history of substance abuse was also strongly associated with endorsing symptoms of a probable post-surgical SUD. Regarding %TWL outcomes, results suggest strongly advising post-bariatric surgery patients to avoid substance use. With respect to endorsing symptoms of a probable SUD, results have practical implications in that family history of SUD can be easily assessed, and at-risk patients can be advised accordingly. In addition, those who develop post-bariatric surgery SUD appear to have stronger cognitive and behavioral responses to food, providing some support for the concept of \"addiction transfer.\"
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/434"],"dc:subject":["Eating disorders","obesity","substance abuse","weight loss","Psychology"],"dc:title":["Relationships between food reinforcement and eating behaviors to bariatric surgery weight loss and substance abuse outcomes"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:51Z"}