The global outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease has had a tremendous psychological impact on individuals around the world. Individuals with obesity are susceptible to distress and psychological sequalae secondary to this pandemic, which can have detrimental effects on obesity management. In particular, individuals undergoing bariatric surgery could experience increased emotional distress, resulting in increased eating psychopathology, mental health exacerbation, and difficulties with self‐management. Addressing these challenges requires novel approaches to redefining psychosocial care before and after bariatric surgery. Emerging evidence suggests that the remote delivery of care using virtual care models, including mobile and online modalities, could extend the reach of psychosocial services to individuals after bariatric surgery and mitigate weight regain or impairment in quality of life. Because of this pandemic, the rapid integration of virtual psychosocial care in bariatric surgery programs to address patients’ needs will create new opportunities for clinical and implementational scientific research.

The current study examined clinical correlates of food addiction among post-operative bariatric surgery patients, compared the clinical characteristics of patients with versus without food addiction, and examined whether a brief telephone-based cognitive behavioural therapy (Tele-CBT) intervention improves food addiction symptomatology among those with food addiction. Participants (N = 100) completed measures of food addiction, binge eating, depression, and anxiety 1 year following bariatric surgery, were randomized to receive either Tele-CBT or standard bariatric post-operative care, and then, repeated the measure of food addiction at 1.25 and 1.5 years following surgery. Thirteen percent of patients exceeded the cut-off for food addiction at 1 year post-surgery, and this subgroup of patients reported greater binge eating characteristics and psychiatric distress compared to patients without food addiction. Among those with food addiction, Tele-CBT was found to improve food addiction symptomatology immediately following the intervention. These preliminary findings suggest that Tele-CBT may be helpful, at least in the short term, in improving food addiction symptomatology among some patients who do not experience remission of food addiction following bariatric surgery; however, these findings require replication in a larger sample.

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