The Development of Eating Disorders After Bariatric Surgery

Surgical treatment for morbid obesity can be very effective in terms of weight loss and reduction of psychopathology. But the (re) emergence of eating problems after surgery is still poorly understood and may be underreported. We describe three cases in which eating disorder symptoms developed after bariatric surgery. The accelerated weight loss and heightened dieting restraint, as well as the systematic reminders to control the amount of food eaten which are crucial for treatment success, might trigger the development of eating disorders after surgery. Implications for pre-surgery assessment and preparation are discussed.