Sexual Minority Bariatric Patients: Examination of Eating Behaviors, Anxiety, and Depression

Abstract Background Disparities in obesity care and bariatric surgery persist among patients of diverse identities. However, little is known about sexual minority (SM) bariatric patients. Objectives This study sought to describe, in a preliminary fashion, sexual orientation variables of outness, self-esteem, and perceived discrimination among a sample of SM patients pursuing bariatric surgery. The study also sought to compare SM and heterosexual bariatric candidates on measures of eating behaviors, anxiety, and depression. Setting Academic medical center in the United States. Methods Data were collected as part of a standard psychological evaluation for surgical clearance between May 1st, 2018 and December 31st, 2019. Data included demographics, sexual orientation variables, eating behaviors, anxiety, and depression. Descriptive statistics were included to present findings among SM patients. One-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were conducted to assess differences between SM and heterosexual patients. Results A total of 633 patients were evaluated (38 SM and 595 heterosexual). SM patients had high outness scores with high self-esteem and minimal perceived discrimination. SM patients endorsed lower cognitive restraint, higher disinhibition and increased hunger compared to heterosexual patients (p Conclusions Findings provide preliminary evidence toward the importance of assessing for sexual orientation among bariatric patients. Future research is warranted to assess the unique role of sexual orientation, as well as explore causal links between sexual orientation, eating behaviors, and mental health among bariatric patients pre- and post-surgery.