Study finds no link between anxiety, depression and weight loss after bariatric surgery

Depression and anxiety does not seem to interfere with the amount of weight or improving obesity-related conditions after bariatric surgery, according to a new study of more than 25,000 patients presented here at 28th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS). Whether depressed or not, patients with morbid obesity lose about 60 percent of their excess weight within a year and reported an average 30 percent improvement in quality of life. Patients with clinically diagnosed depression, however, have a higher rate of minor complications (4.0% vs. 3.3%) than non-depressed patients.

The Gabriel Method Review There were no significant differences in major complications. In patients with depression, use of antidepressant drugs has dropped by about 20 per cent (72% to 60%) one year after surgery and remained at that level after three years of follow-up. Depression and anxiety are relatively common among those with chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, and the condition can sometimes interfere with treatment,"Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Michigan, and lead study author. 

This study suggests bariatric patients suffering from depression can experience health outcomes and quality of life improvements comparable to non-depressed patients. Nevertheless, doctors and patients still need to consider psychological issues, state of mind and commitment to lifestyle changes after surgery in assessing whether bariatric surgery is appropriate and indicated for any particular patient.  For more details

University of Michigan researchers examined data from the 25,469 patients in 29 hospitals in the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative (MBSC), a consortium of state hospitals and surgeons that maintains a prospective registry of bariatric surgery patients. Between 2006 and 2010, the researchers found 11,687 bariatric patients (46%) were treated for at least one psychiatric disorder, with depression (41%) and anxiety (15%) the most common. Follow-up surveys were conducted in patients each year for three years after surgery.