Clinical implications and potential limitations of the findings are discussed. Future studies should address the potential risk of postoperative addiction transfer using long-term follow-ups and controlled study designs.

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Initial evidence that cognitive function improves after bariatric surgery exists. The post-surgery increase in cognitive control might correspond with a decrease of impulsive symptoms after surgery. The present study investigated cognitive function and nonfood-related impulsivity in patients with substantial weight loss due to bariatric surgery by using a comparative cross-sectional design. Fifty post-bariatric surgery patients (postBS group) who had significant percent weight loss (M = 75.94, SD = 18.09) after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (body mass index, BMI Mpost = 30.54 kg/m2, SDpost = 5.14) were compared with 50 age and gender matched bariatric surgery candidates (preBS group; BMI Mpre = 48.01 kg/m2, SDpre = 6.56). To measure cognitive function the following computer-assisted behavioral tasks were utilized: Iowa Gambling Task, Tower of Hanoi, Stroop Test, Trail Making Test-Part B, and Corsi Block Tapping Test. Impulsive symptoms and behaviors were assessed using impulsivity questionnaires and a structured interview for impulse control disorders (ICDs). No group differences were found with regard to performance-based cognitive control, self-reported impulsive symptoms, and ICDs. The results indicate that the general tendency to react impulsively does not differ between pre-surgery and post-surgery patients. The question of whether nonfood-related impulsivity in morbidly obese patients changes post-surgery should be addressed in longitudinal studies given that impulsive symptoms can be considered potential targets for pre- as well post-surgery interventions.

Patients after bariatric surgery were not more physically active than bariatric surgery candidates, which should be considered in care programs. Additionally, future research is needed to explore the possible link between PA, patients' decision-making abilities, and eating disturbances concerning dose-response questions.

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the remission of preoperative food addiction is associated with increases or new onset of other addictions within the first year following bariatric surgery. Methods:One hundred and twenty-five bariatric surgery patients were assessed before surgery (t1) and at 6 months (t2) and 1 year (t3) follow-ups.The assessments included the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0) and standardized questionnaires to measure symptoms of problematic alcohol use, gambling disorder, internet-use disorder, buying-shopping disorder, hypersexual disorder and exercise dependence. Results: Forty-nine (39.2%) patients were assigned to the food addiction (FA + ) and 76 patients (60.8%) to the non-food addiction group (FA − ) based on their preoperative YFAS scores. Overall, BMI and symptoms of food addiction decreased significantly from baseline to follow-ups. Preoperative food addiction status was not associated with postoperative increases or new onset of other addictions. Elevated symptoms of buying-shopping disorder, internetuse and hypersexual behaviour at baseline in the FA + -group decreased over time and were comparable to the FA − -group at follow-ups. Conclusion:The 'addiction transfer' or 'cross addiction' hypothesis was not supportive for alcohol addiction, gambling addiction or other behaviours that may be addictive. Further studies are needed that investigate larger samples and longer observation periods, as well as other substance-use disorders.