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High-risk alcohol use after weight loss surgery
Christina C Wee1, Kenneth J Mukamal1, Karen W Huskey1
1Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Summary
Weight loss surgery (WLS) can impact alcohol habits. While some develop new high-risk drinking, over half of patients reduce or stop problem drinking after WLS.
Area of Science:
- Bariatric surgery
- Alcohol metabolism
- Postoperative outcomes
Background:
- Weight loss surgery (WLS) may alter alcohol metabolism, potentially increasing problem drinking postoperatively.
- Limited research distinguishes between improved and worsened alcohol use after WLS.
- Characterizing high-risk alcohol use before and after WLS is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize high-risk alcohol use before and after WLS.
- To analyze changes in alcohol use based on WLS type.
Main Methods:
- Patient interviews conducted pre-surgery and annually post-surgery.
- High-risk alcohol use assessed using a modified Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C).
Main Results:
- At 1 year post-WLS, 13% reported high-risk drinking (vs. 17% at baseline); at 2 years, 13% (vs. 15% at baseline).
- New high-risk drinking reported by 7% at 1 year and 6% at 2 years.
- Over half of patients with pre-existing high-risk drinking no longer met criteria at follow-up.
Conclusions:
- While new high-risk alcohol use emerges in 7% of patients one year post-WLS, a majority see improvement.
- More than half of individuals with pre-surgery high-risk drinking discontinue this behavior after WLS.
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