Effect of Consecutive Intragastric Balloon (BIBA®) Plus Diet Versus Single BIBA® Plus Diet on Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) in Obese Patients

Eating disorders are a group of conditions characterised by abnormal eating habits. Greater than 50 % of patients with eating disorders have an 'eating disorder not otherwise specified' (EDNOS). No specific tools exist to evaluate EDNOS, and patients are identified only with a diagnosis of exclusion from the other eating disorders. The BioEntericsA (R) Intragastric Balloon (BIBA (R)) is used worldwide as a short-term treatment option in obese patients. A new frequency score was used to evaluate the influence of double consecutive BIBA (R) treatment compared with single BIBA (R) treatment followed by diet on four categories of EDNOS (grazing, emotional eating, sweet-eating and after-dinner grazing). A prospective study allocated 50 obese patients (age range 25-35, BMI range 40.0-44.9) into two groups: BIBA (R) (6 months) followed by diet therapy (7 months; group A (N = 25)) and BIBA (R) placement for 6 months followed by another BIBA (R) for 6 months, with a 1-month interval between placement (group B (N = 25)). Baseline demographics were similar across both groups. At the time of removal of the first BIBA (R) device, EDNOS scores in both groups were not significantly different, but decreased significantly from baseline. By the end of the study, all EDNOS scores were significantly lower in patients undergoing consecutive BIBA (R), compared with single BIBA (R) followed by diet therapy. The placement of an intragastric balloon in obese patients allows for a reduction in the intensity of grazing, emotional eating, sweet-eating and after-dinner grazing. A more significant reduction in the EDNOS score was observed with two consecutive BIBsA (R).