Psychiatric Diagnoses and Weight Loss Among Adolescents Receiving Sleeve Gastrectomy

Severe obesity is associated with higher risk of psychiatric difficulties. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment of severe obesity. Few guidelines exist regarding the association of psychiatric diagnoses in adolescents and outcomes after surgery because of the lack of longitudinal research. Our objective is to evaluate the rates of psychiatric diagnoses in adolescents undergoing surgery compared with those not receiving surgery and the association of preoperative psychiatric diagnoses with postsurgical weight loss outcomes.

Adolescents (N = 222) referred for psychological evaluation at one institution for bariatric surgery (2009-2017) completed semistructured clinical interviews to assess the presence and number of psychiatric diagnoses. Comparison analyses were conducted between those who did not end up receiving surgery (N = 53) and those who did (N = 169). Using longitudinal modeling, we assessed the association of preoperative diagnoses with weight loss outcomes between 3 and 12 months after surgery.

Seventy-one percent of adolescents qualified for a psychiatric disorder. There were no differences in rates of specific disorders or numbers of diagnoses between those receiving surgery and those not receiving surgery. The presence or absence or number of diagnoses before surgery was not associated with weight loss outcomes after surgery.

Psychiatric diagnoses are prevalent among adolescents with severe obesity. These diagnoses are not associated with weight loss outcomes. The presurgical psychological evaluation serves as an opportunity to identify adolescents experiencing psychiatric problems and provide them with care but should not necessarily be considered a contraindication to surgery.