Gerbrand van Hout

Publications (3)9.15 Total impact

• Article: Bariatric psychology, psychological aspects of weight loss surgery.

  Gerbrand van Hout, Guus van Heck
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  ABSTRACT: Obesity is the 'disease of the 21st century' and results in physical and psychosocial co-morbidities as well as poor quality of life (QoL). In contrast to the nonsurgical treatment of obesity, bariatric surgery is treatment of choice for morbid obesity. Since improved QoL and enhanced psychosocial functioning are important goals of bariatric surgery, success following bariatric surgery should not only include weight loss and improvement or cure of co-morbid conditions, but also improvements in eating behavior, psychosocial variables, and QoL. Unfortunately, bariatric surgery does not lead to identical results in every patient. Patients who fail to adjust their eating behavior and lifestyle after bariatric surgery may experience adverse reactions. Compliance and adjustment may be attributed largely to psychological factors, implying that the operation on its own represents only one element in bariatric surgery. Considering the role of psychosocial factors in the outcomes of bariatric surgery and the impact of the operation on the psychological and social situation, mental health professionals should be a part of the process of evaluation and treatment of bariatric surgery patients. In the Netherlands, between 2000 and 2005, bariatric surgery has increased tremendously, and most Dutch hospitals have a multidisciplinary selection process.
  Obesity Facts 01/2009; 2(1):10-5. · 1.86 Impact Factor
• Article: Psychosocial predictors of success after vertical banded gastroplasty.

  Gerbrand C M van Hout, Christine A J M Hagendoren, Saskia K M Verschure, Guus L van Heck
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  ABSTRACT: Psychosocial and behavioral factors contribute to successful postoperative outcomes. Patients' psychological factors may be predictive of postsurgical adjustment. The identification of these factors would allow targeting patients at risk of a poor outcome. Furthermore, it would enable better patient selection and preoperative and/or postoperative counseling to improve long-term outcomes. Unfortunately, no such consistent and reproducible predictors have been found so far. The present study investigated in morbid obese patients who underwent vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) the predictive value of preoperative parameters, especially health-related quality of life (HRQoL), personality, psychosocial functioning, body image, and eating behavior for 2-year changes in these variables, as well as weight loss. Two years after VBG, patients had significant weight loss and reported improvements in physical HRQoL, personality and psychosocial functioning, body image, and eating behavior. Although we were not able to find psychosocial predictors of excess weight loss or excess body mass index loss 2 years after VBG, we did find psychosocial predictors of 2-year changes in HRQoL, personality and psychosocial functioning, body image, and eating behavior. Preoperative psychological assessment may not be necessary with respect to weight loss. However, it is helpful in targeting patients at risk of poor psychological outcomes after VBG.
  Obesity Surgery 04/2008; 19(6):701-7. · 3.29 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Marieke Blokland

  Article: Health-related quality of life following vertical banded gastroplasty.

  Gerbrand C M van Hout, Frederiek A M Fortuin, Aline J M Pelle, Marieke E Blokland-Koomen, Guus L van Heck
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  ABSTRACT: Morbid obesity is associated with increased risks of morbidity and mortality as well as poor quality of life (QoL). Therefore, the goal of bariatric surgery should not only be reducing weight and treatment of comorbid conditions, but also improving QoL. Moreover, enhanced QoL may motivate patients to adhere to adequate health behavior in order to maintain the surgically established weight loss. We evaluated early postoperative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over time. Preoperatively as well as 6, 12, and 24 months after vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG), 107 patients were psychologically assessed using a semistructured interview and the RAND 36-item Health Survey (RAND-36). Over time, we found significant changes in weight: 2 years after surgery, excess weight loss (EWL) was 58.4%. HRQoL showed significant improvements over time, especially in the physical domains. Two years after surgery, 74% of patients were satisfied with the results of the operation and 94.1% would opt for surgery again. VBG not only leads to considerable weight loss, but also to significant improvements in HRQoL. However, some of the initially reported improvements lessened over time and not all patients appeared to profit in the same way.
  Surgical Endoscopy 04/2008; 23(3):550-6. · 4.01 Impact Factor