Dear colleagues and stakeholders interested in this field,
Every year, bariatric/obesity surgery in Turkey places approximately 40,000 individuals into an intensive process of transformation, during which they re-examine their relationship with food, their body image, and their sense of identity. Although the critical role of psychology in this process is often emphasized, the number of trained specialists and the accumulation of scientific knowledge in this area remain limited.
In a small number of countries where psychologists have a voice in health policy, surgical interventions are carried out in parallel with psychosocial support processes. However, in Turkey and many other countries, individuals frequently undergo surgery with limited knowledge and awareness, often making hasty decisions.
In the postoperative period—sometimes referred to as “surgically induced anorexia”—different and relatively unfamiliar patterns of disordered eating emerge. Because binge eating is physically impossible for a long period (at least 1.5 years), we encounter conditions such as anxiety over loss of control in eating, atypical anorexia, subjective binge episodes, grazing behavior, food puréeing, and chew-and-spit practices.
This issue is not limited to clinical psychology but is highly relevant to all subfields of psychology, including social, developmental, and health psychology. Rising rates of marriage and divorce after surgery, shifts in family dynamics, the phenomenon of “bariatric families” undergoing surgery together, and the developmental consequences of adolescent surgeries all underscore the necessity of an integrated and multidisciplinary approach across psychology.
In this context, within the scope of our TÜBİTAK 1001–funded project, the Bariatric Psychology Research Laboratory (BP Lab) at Ankara Social Sciences University (ASBÜ) is launching a seminar series that will address these issues from clinical, social, and developmental perspectives.
Our seminar is open to professionals from all disciplines who are either working in this field or have an interest in it.
We warmly invite all interested participants.
Participation Information
📌 The language of the event is English, and no simultaneous translation will be provided.
📌 Participation is limited. To pre-register, please use the QR code on the side or the following link:
👉 https://forms.gle/3XZjfE7kDb3yJqdr6
To stay informed about upcoming events:
🔹 LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/BariatricPsychology
🔹 Instagram: @bariatrikpsikolojilab
