Patients requiring bariatric surgery often have mental health disorders according to a newly published study featuring in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The UCLA study provided a review of 68 publications between 1988 and 2015 emphasizing bariatric surgery and prevalence of mental health disorders.

The two most common mental health disorders found with bariatric surgery patients are binge eating disorder and depression. However, these findings do not automatically disqualify a person from the surgical weight loss procedure. Previous studies have shown that severely obese patients seeking bariatric surgery are often diagnosed with depression as well. Nonetheless, no study has brought consistent proof that mental health disorders hinder weight loss goals in the postoperative phase.

Patients requiring bariatric surgery often have mental health disorders. While several questions remain unanswered, the newly published study revealed the prevalence of mental health disorders with bariatric surgery patients. In addition, the study showed that following the surgical weight loss procedure, patients also diagnosed with depression improved their condition. Patients diagnosed with binge eating disorder also fared well in the postoperative phase.

Nonetheless, both binge eating disorder and depression are found a twofold rate with bariatric surgery patients compared to the general U.S. population.

The UCLA study defined mental health disorders to be anxiety, depression, personality disorders, PTSD, suicidality, substance abuse and binge eating disorder. Overall, 23 percent of bariatric surgery patients were diagnosed with a mental health disorder. Depression affected 19 percent of the patients, while binge eating disorder affected 17 percent of the patients undergoing the surgical weight loss procedure.

According to Doctor Aaron Dawes, the lead investigator on the study and general surgery resident with the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, the findings of the study bring forth the requirement that physicians screen all patients who are candidates for bariatric surgery prior to the surgical intervention.

Given these findings, it is important to know whether the weight loss procedure is fit for everyone. In addition, it is important to understand the prevalence of different mental health disorders so as to provide effective therapy and guidance.

The UCLA study did not find any evidence suggesting patients undergoing bariatric surgery and diagnosed with binge eating disorder or depression fare less well following the procedure. To the contrary, the majority of those who were diagnosed with depression improved after the surgery.

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