Relationships between food reinforcement and eating behaviors to bariatric surgery weight loss and substance abuse outcomes

<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>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Reslan, Summar

Contributors dc:contributor

• Karen K. Saules, Ph.D., Chair
• Mark Greenwald, Ph.D.
• Thomas Schmitt, Ph.D.

• Eating disorders
• obesity
• substance abuse
• weight loss
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/434

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-1803