Psychological and emotional outcomes after bariatric surgery: a cross-sectional comparison of sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass patients

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess depressive and anxiety symptoms after bariatric surgery and to identify clinical, socioeconomic and psychosocial factors associated with postoperative psychological outcomes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 300 adults who had undergone bariatric surgery at least 12 months previously (172 sleeve gastrectomy and 128 gastric bypass). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and anxiety symptoms using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Psychosocial factors were assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), Emotional Eating Scale (EES) and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Socioeconomic status, psychotropic medication use and percentage of total weight loss (%TWL) were recorded. Group comparisons, correlation analyses and multivariable linear regression were performed. RESULTS: Patients who underwent gastric bypass reported significantly higher depressive and anxiety symptoms compared with sleeve gastrectomy patients (PHQ-9: 9.7±4.2 vs 7.3±3.7; GAD-7: 8.5±4.0 vs 6.5±3.9; both p