Psychological profile of candidates for vertical banded gastroplasty

Background: Because bariatric surgery is a forced behavior modification and the operation represents only one element in it, behavioral and psychological factors play an important role in its results. Consequently, better understanding of candidates for bariatric surgery may improve selection for and success with this intervention. Methods: In this study, the psychological profile of candidates for vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) was investigated. In the context of preoperative psychological evaluation, 153 patients were interviewed by a psychologist and completed a battery of psychological tests. Results: Compared to varying samples of the general population, candidates for VBG, especially females, experienced more psychological difficulties, more disturbed eating patterns, poor body attitude, and poor quality of life (QoL). In addition, 3 subgroups could be identified, ranging from relatively good to relatively poor psychological functioning. Conclusion: Preoperatively, candidates for VBG struggle with a diversity of problems; however, some patients are less negatively affected by their obesity than others.