Comprehensive Behavioral-Motivational Nutrition Education Improves Depressive Symptoms Following Bariatric Surgery: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Obese Hispanic Americans

Objective: To evaluate the effect of 2 post-bariatric support interventions on depressive symptoms of Hispanic Americans treated with gastric bypass for morbid or severe obesity. Design/Setting: Prospective randomized, controlled trial conducted in a laparoscopic institution. Participants/Interventions: During the Phase 1 clinical trial (from preoperative evaluation to 6 months after surgery), all participants received standard care. During Phase 2 (6-12 months after surgery), participants were randomly assigned to receive either standard care (n = 72) or comprehensive support (n = 72). Comprehensive group participants received 6 educational sessions focused on behavior change strategies and motivation with nutrition counseling. Main Outcome Measures: Depression scores and weight change over time. Analysis: Independent samples t tests and regression analysis assessed relationships among depression scores and excess weight loss. Results: Participants receiving behavioral-motivational intervention scored significantly lower on Beck's Depression Inventory questionnaire scores than those receiving standard care. For those with depressive symptoms at randomization, 24% of participants who received the comprehensive intervention reported no depressive symptoms at 12 months after surgery, compared with 6% of those who received standard care (P < .001). Patients' depressive mood improvement was significantly and positively associated with excess weight loss and attendance at educational sessions (P < .001). Conclusions and Implications: Findings support the importance of post-bariatric comprehensive behavioral-motivational nutrition education for decreasing risk for depression and improving weight loss.