The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of impulse control disorders (ICDs) in morbidly obese individuals. One hundred bariatric surgery candidates were examined using a module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV that has been developed for ICDs. Nineteen per cent suffered from at least one current ICD and 27% met the criteria for any lifetime ICD, most frequently skin picking (current, 8%; lifetime, 9%), compulsive buying (current 6%, lifetime 8%), and intermittent explosive disorder (current, 5%; lifetime, 10%). Patients with regular binge eating (N = 25) reported significantly more often a history of at least one ICD compared with those without binge eating. The results indicate a high prevalence of ICDs among morbidly obese prebariatric surgery patients that are related to regular binge eating.
Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.