Correlation between the Beck Depression Inventory and bariatric surgical procedures

Abstract

Background: The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a psychosocial screen for depression in obese patients seeking bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass improves postsurgical BDI scores due to weight loss, which predicts future weight loss. The effect of different bariatric procedures with differences in weight loss on BDI scores is unknown.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between different bariatric procedures and changes in the BDI scores, adjusting for the initial BDI score, and to consider the impact of psychosocial variables. The secondary objective was to assess the relationship between changes in BDI scores and weight loss at 6 to 12 months.

Setting: University Hospital, United States.

Methods: Bariatric surgical patients were prospectively enrolled and retrospectively reviewed. We assessed changes in BDI after adjusting for the presurgical BDI and analyzed the relationship between patient demographic characteristics/psychological disorders and changes in BDI.

Results: We enrolled 137 patients who underwent a gastric band procedure, sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric bypass. We found a significant decrease in BMI and BDI scores across the full sample. Unlike BDI, change in BMI varied with procedure. Normalizing for baseline BDI, change in BDI did not significantly correlate with change in BMI. Patients who were employed and those without psychiatric history experienced even greater improvement in BDI scores. No statistically significant correlation was found between the change in BDI and weight loss at 6-12 months.

Conclusions: BDI scores were independent of the type of bariatric procedure and the amount of weight loss. Advantageous psychosocial parameters were associated with greater improvement in BDI scores.

Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Beck Depression Inventory; Depression; Psychosocial; Weight loss.