Description:

Estimates of the lifetime prevalence of eating disorders in the bariatric surgery population are well over 50%. Because most bariatric professionals have limited training or experience in eating disorders, it has been proposed that these conditions are likely underreported and misidentified in clinical settings following bariatric surgery. The panelists would include a patient perspective/lived experience, a dietician, and a mental health expert with eating disorder experience. Each panelist will focus on their perspective with an overall focus on identifying clinical care gaps in recognizing eating disorders/disordered eating in patients with obesity who have had or are going to have bariatric surgery. It is the goal of this presentation to make clinicians aware of the problem and provide ways to identify and manage these patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Attendees will acquire knowledge about assessing disordered eating pre-surgery and how to support patients struggling with eating disorders and disordered eating post-surgery.
2. Attendees will learn about the level of care options that are most fitting for bariatric patients dealing with eating disorders post-surgery.
3. Attendees will gain awareness of numerous psychological and nutritional treatment strategies for a variety of diagnosable eating disorders in patients with a history of bariatric surgery.