High-risk alcohol use after weight loss surgery

Background: Bariatric or weight loss surgery (WLS) may alter alcohol metabolism resulting in a higher prevalence of problem drinking postoperatively. Few studies distinguish those who report improvements in drinking from those who report worsening behavior after surgery. The objective of this study was to characterize high-risk alcohol use before and after WLS and according to surgery type.

Methods: We interviewed patients before and annually after WLS. High-risk alcohol use as assessed via a modified version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption.

Results: Of 541 participants who underwent WLS, 375 (69% retention) completed the 1-year interview and 328 (63% retention) completed the 2-year interview. At 1 year, 13% reported high-risk drinking compared to 17% at baseline, P = .10; at year 2, 13% reported high-risk drinking compared to 15% at baseline, P = .39; 7% and 6% of patients, respectively, reported new high-risk drinking at 1- and 2-year follow-up. At both follow-up time points, more than half of those who reported high-risk drinking at baseline no longer did so. A larger proportion of gastric bypass patients (71%) reported amelioration in high-risk drinking than gastric banding (48%) at year 1, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .07); the difference largely dissipated by year 2 (50% versus 57%) .

Conclusion: Although 7% of patients report new high-risk alcohol use 1 year after WLS, more than half who reported high-risk alcohol use before surgery discontinued high-risk drinking.