Alcohol and Drug Use Among Postoperative Bariatric Patients: A Systematic Review of the Emerging Research and Its Implications

Studies employing longitudinal designs and large sample sizes indicate that bariatric patients who had the gastric bypass procedure are at an elevated risk for alcohol use problems postoperatively. Research also indicates that bariatric surgery patients might be overrepresented in substance abuse treatment facilities. Risk factors for problematic postoperative alcohol use include regular or problematic alcohol use presurgery, male gender, younger age, tobacco use, and symptoms of attention deficient and hyperactivity disorder. As a whole, however, studies indicate bariatric surgery patients demonstrate a low prevalence of problematic alcohol use, and studies about gastric bypass patients are not entirely conclusive. Prospective, longitudinal studies are needed, utilizing standardized and validated alcohol assessment instruments that follow postoperative bariatric patients well beyond 2 years, and account for types of bariatric procedure. Finally, study samples with greater racial/ethnic diversity and wider age ranges are needed.