Psychiatric Disorders and Childhood Parental Loss in Obesity: Relationship with the Mode of Weight Gain

ABSTRACT

We assessed the association between psychiatric disorders, childhood parental loss, and weight gain mode in 150 obese patients seeking bariatric surgery and with a history of sudden or gradual weight gain mode. Subjects with sudden weight gain mode (47%) showed significantly higher bipolar II disorder (p < .001), childhood parental death (p < .01), and separation (p < .01), but lower pure hypomania (p < .001) prevalence than subjects with gradual weight gain mode. We found preliminary evidence that lifetime bipolar spectrum disorders and childhood parental loss may influence weight gain mode in obese subjects. These findings may contribute to predict patients’ weight trajectories and implement preventive interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Binge eating disorder
• bipolar disorder
• loss
• panic disorder
• prior trauma

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alessandra Alciati

Alessandra Alciati is senior researcher at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto - Hermanas Hospitalarias (Albese con Cassano - Como Lake, Italy). Dr. Alciati was clinical director of the inpatient service at L.Sacco University Hospital (Milan, Italy). Her research focuses on psychiatric and environmental determinants of obesity and pain.

Daniela Caldirola

Daniela Caldirola is research coordinator at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto - Hermanas Hospitalarias (Albese con Cassano - Como Lake, Italy). Her expertise and research interests include anxiety and somatoform disorders.

Diego Foschi

Diego Foschi is Full Professor of Surgery at the State University of Milan (Italy) and Chairman of the Department of General Surgery at L. Sacco University Hospital, Milan. He also heads the Surgery Fellowship. Prof Foschi’s expertise and research interests encompass the fields of bariatric and abdominal surgery.

Giampaolo Perna

Giampaolo Perna is Chairman of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto - Hermanas Hospitalarias (Albese con Cassano - Como Lake, Italy), Scientific Director of Foripsi Foundation, Rome (Italy), Voluntary Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Leonard Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami (USA), Associate Professor in Psychiatry and Neuropsychology at Maastricht University (NL), Director of International Master in Affective Neuroscience, Maastricht & Florence Universities, and Chair of the WPA section on Personalized Psychiatry. His research interests are in the area of anxiety disorders.