Abstract
Abstract
Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in the United States and presents major threats to health and quality of life. Gastric bypass surgery is an effective treatment for obesity, and patients can expect to lose significant amounts of weight after surgery. However, there is a high rate of “relapse” in this population, where 20 to 50% of patients regain a significant portion of their weight after surgery. Predicting who is most likely to regain weight is critical for targeting more intensive interventions to those in need. In the addiction literature, craving of drugs/alcohol is one of the primary causes of return to substance use (relapse) following abstinence, and assessment of craving is a common element of assessment prior to and during treatment. This article presents the similarities between compulsive eating (binge eating, which is a common problem in patients presenting for bariatric surgery) and drug addiction. It reviews current instruments that assess food craving and suggests how the field may benefit by examining their utility in the bariatric surgery population.
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