History of sexual abuse among bariatric surgery candidates

A history of sexual abuse is associated with a range of psychosocial difficulties and health risk behaviors in the general population. Sexual abuse also appears to be a risk factor for the development of obesity. Little is known, however, about the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of sexual abuse among persons with extreme obesity who seek bariatric surgery.

Questionnaire data were collected from 567 individuals with extreme obesity who presented for bariatric surgery. Those with and without a self-reported history of sexual abuse were compared on several psychosocial variables.

Sixteen percent of the surgery candidates (17.0% of women and 11.5% of men) reported a history of sexual abuse. Those who reported a history of sexual abuse were more likely to report previous emotional difficulties, as well as a personal and family history of substance abuse. They also were significantly more likely to meet the criteria for binge eating disorder, as determined from self-report responses to the Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns, compared with those without a self-reported history of sexual abuse. In addition, those who reported a history of sexual abuse were more likely to report both current and previous psychiatric treatment than were those who denied a history of abuse.

A significant minority of bariatric surgery candidates reported a history of sexual abuse. Among these individuals, a history of sexual abuse was associated with both current and past psychiatric problems and treatment. The relationship of these variables to postoperative outcomes, however, is unknown.