Postoperative Dietary Counseling After Bariatric Surgery

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body mass index (BMI): 40 to 60 kg(squared) or greater than or equal to 35kg(squared) in the presence of co-morbid medical condition.
• Subjects must live within 30 minutes of the University of Pennsylvania and drive or have ready access to public transportation.
• Subjects must be able to ambulate without assistance.
• Subjects will be free of contraindications to bariatric surgery and will have been approved for surgery by both the medical staff and their insurance carrier.
• Subjects must be able to communicate with the investigator, be legally competent, and provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Evidence of significant psychiatric distress that impairs daily functioning, as suggested by a Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) greater than or equal to 25. (Individuals with BDI-II scores greater than or equal to 25 will be referred for appropriate help, as per the requirements of the law in the state of Pennsylvania.)
• Any current substance abuse or dependence disorder.
• Concurrent psychiatric treatment for any DSM-IV condition
• Persons who binge eat and report purging behavior (i.e., vomiting, laxative or diuretic abuse, etc.) will be excluded from the study and referred to an eating disorders specialist.