About

David B. Sarwer, Ph.D., is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology in Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine. He is affiliated with the Department of Surgery and the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. His educational background includes a B.A. in Psychology from Tulane University (1990), an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Chicago (1992), and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Chicago (1995). His contact information includes an office at 3535 Market Street, Suite 3026, Philadelphia, PA, with the phone number 215-898-7314 and email dsarwer@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Surgery
• Psychology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical psychology

Selected publications

• Response to Comment on Schumacher et al. Addressing the Feasibility Gap in Shared Decision-Making for Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Care

  Diabetes Care · 2026-05-20

  articleSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Glucose and Loss of Control Eating: Evidence From Naturalistic Assessment After Roux‐en‐Y Gastric Bypass

  European Eating Disorders Review · 2026-04-22

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: While loss of control (LOC) eating is associated with poor outcomes following metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), the mechanisms driving it are less understood. This study used momentary, naturalistic data to examine glucose as a biological correlate of LOC eating after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). METHOD: Participants (45 adults one-year post-RYGB) completed 10 days of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) while wearing a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Eating episodes reported in EMA were time-matched to CGM readings 3 hours before and after eating episodes. Four CGM metrics (mean, variability, time in hyper- and hypo-glycaemia) were used in multilevel models to test whether glucose functioning was a significant antecedent and/or consequence of LOC eating. RESULTS: Greater mean glucose levels and variability each significantly predicted engagement in an eating episode, while more time spent in hyperglycemia predicted the absence of eating. Significantly higher mean glucose was observed after eating. No glucose metric specifically predicted engagement in LOC eating; however, LOC eating resulted in significantly greater glucose variability. CONCLUSIONS: Glucose level and variability predicted subsequent eating, but not LOC eating. However, LOC eating was associated with subsequent glucose variability, which might help explain how LOC eating is associated with poorer outcomes following RYGB.

  PublisherDOI

• Motivating increases in physical activity to prevent recurrence of weight gain after metabolic bariatric surgery: The Exercise Values of Life and Vitality Everyday (EVOLVE) trial

  Contemporary Clinical Trials · 2025-10-04 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: Recurrence of significant weight gain after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is common and can lead to physical and psychological complications. Although patients are encouraged to increase moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) to prevent weight recurrence, many report low motivation. This study tests whether targeting autonomous motivation through an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based intervention can produce durable increases in MVPA to prevent postoperative weight recurrence. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 164 adults who are 6-20 months post-MBS with stable weight (<10 % regain from maximum weight loss) are randomly assigned to one of two 12 months programs: an ACT intervention (Physical Activity [PA]-ACT) or a contact-matched education control (PA-EDU). PA-ACT uses values clarification and acceptance strategies to foster autonomous motivation for self-determined MVPA goals. PA-EDU provides didactic instruction on PA, related health topics, and cognitive-behavioral strategies for prescribed MVPA goals. Both conditions receive group-based workshops and individual counseling delivered via video conferencing and email micro-interventions. The conditions will be compared on changes in MVPA and weight recurrence (primary outcomes) and autonomous motivation and acceptance (secondary outcomes) from baseline to 12 months (end-of-treatment) and 18 months (follow-up). Mediators of MVPA (motivation, acceptance) and weight recurrence (MVPA) will also be explored. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to examine whether an ACT-based intervention can foster autonomous motivation for sustained MVPA to prevent weight recurrence after MBS. The results may inform more robust guidelines for PA in MBS and support integration of these strategies into clinical practice to prevent significant weight recurrence. CLINICALTRIALS: govRegistration: NCT037604.

  PublisherDOI

• Hypoglycemia following metabolic and bariatric surgery: evidence from objective and subjective naturalistic assessment methods

  Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases · 2025-08-05

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Associations Between Neighborhood Environment, Childhood Adversity, and Cancer Risk: A Geospatial Analysis

  Cancer Medicine · 2025-10-29

  articleOpen access

  OBJECTIVE: Using a socio-ecological perspective that includes consideration for the effects of the built environment, this study investigated the association between neighborhood-level measures of childhood trauma, adult cancer prevention behaviors, and cancer mortality in Philadelphia. METHODS: Cancer registry data and five neighborhood-level risk factors, including three measures related to trauma and two indices related to adherence to cancer prevention guidelines, were utilized. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to assess how risk factors relate to variation in cancer mortality. Associations between each of the neighborhood risk factors and high cancer mortality were identified and visualized geospatially. RESULTS: Trauma and adherence to cancer prevention guidelines together accounted for 50% of the variation in neighborhood cancer mortality in Philadelphia. Neighborhoods near each other were likely to have common prevalent risk factors, and the majority of neighborhoods with the highest cancer mortality rates were also high in trauma measures. CONCLUSIONS: Results expand upon prior research in this area to the neighborhood level, suggesting that neighborhoods with high cancer mortality are more likely to have high levels of trauma and low cancer prevention behaviors. Neighborhood-level measures of trauma can be used to prioritize and tailor trauma-informed cancer prevention efforts.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Making GLP-1 weight loss drugs cheaper isn’t enough to address America’s obesity problem – here’s why

  2025-11-21

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Youth athletes, not just professionals, may face mental health risks from repeated traumatic brain injuries

  2025-08-06

  article1st authorCorresponding

  The New York City shooter who sought to attack NFL offices said he had a degenerative brain disease, called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, thought to be related to playing contact sports like football.

  PublisherDOI

• The Moderating Effect of Coping on Stress and Childhood Obesity-Related Health Behaviors among Non-Hispanic Black Caregivers

  Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities · 2025-04-02

  articleOpen access

  Child health behaviors and weight status may be affected by caregivers' perception and experience of stress. However, little is known about the influence of caregiver coping strategies on childhood overweight and obesity, particularly among non-Hispanic Black caregivers. This study examined associations among specific caregiver stress types (i.e., general, parenting, race-related), child weight status, and health-related behaviors (i.e., intake of fruits and vegetables, consumption of fast food, engagement in physical activity) as well as the moderating effect of caregiver coping strategies. In addition to general coping, the study examined the role of religious coping. This cross-sectional study included 157 non-Hispanic Black caregiver and child (aged 3-7 years) dyads; all caregivers identified as Christian Protestant. Logistic regression models were fit to explore the associations among caregiver stress and child outcomes and to investigate moderation effects of caregiver coping. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic covariates. Association between parenting stress and child weight status was significantly moderated by acceptance coping while the relationship between general stress and child sugary drink intake was moderated by emotional coping. The combination of three stress types was significantly associated with increased child fast food intake. Future research should examine specific coping strategies to address varying levels and types of stress experienced by caregivers from minoritized backgrounds.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Considerations for the Use of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Medications for Obesity in a Plastic Surgery Setting

  Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Global Open · 2025-09-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  In recent years, there has been great interest among the medical community and general public in a new generation of medications for treating obesity. Likely due to this interest, there have been anecdotal reports of plastic surgeons beginning to prescribe these medications in their practices. This Special Topic article provides a brief overview of obesity and its evidence-based treatments, including these newer medications. Particular emphasis is placed on the growing consensus that obesity is a chronic disease that contributes to numerous other comorbidities and requires sustained treatment. Plastic surgeons who are interested in using newer obesity medications in their practices may wish to consider the need for additional training to ensure that they are optimizing patient welfare, guarding against harm, and providing care consistent with clinical guidelines and recommended best practices of obesity medicine.

  PublisherDOI

• The New Obesity Treatment Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities to Promote Shared Decision-Making in People With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

  Diabetes Care · 2025-12-03 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  New obesity management guidelines, including those from the American Diabetes Association, advocate the use of shared decision-making (SDM) for obesity treatment. SDM is an evidence-based approach for promoting person-centered care and is widely recommended across medical specialties. However, a variety of issues challenge the use of SDM in daily practice. In this narrative review we discuss factors that may impede the use of SDM in adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes, as well as past efforts to address these barriers. Patient-level factors such as internalized weight bias and lack of knowledge about obesity and its treatment, provider-level factors such as limited training in obesity management and lack of confidence in sensitively discussing weight, and system-level factors like poor treatment access and limited care coordination stymie effective SDM around obesity management. A perceived power imbalance between patients and providers and medical mistrust are additional barriers for some. In the past, researchers have attempted to overcome these barriers to advancing SDM through approaches including patient decision aids, provider training, and clinical decision support systems, with moderate success. This article concludes with recommended strategies for clinical adoption of SDM for patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes, a call for system-level changes to create an environment more conducive to effective SDM, and directions for future research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R03DK067885

  NIH · $317k · 2008

• Diabetes reversal and the subgingival microbiota

  NIH · $2.4M · 2018–2025

• NIH Grant R01DK072452

  NIH · $1.7M · 2013

• NIH Grant R01DK080738

  NIH · $1.7M · 2015

• Psychopathology, Disordered Eating, and Impulsivity as Predictors of Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery

  NIH · $2.1M · 2015–2021

Frequent coauthors

• Thomas A. Wadden

  162 shared

• James E. Mitchell

  Neuropsychiatric Research Institute

  119 shared

• Anita P. Courcoulas

  University of Pittsburgh

  111 shared

• Kelly C. Allison

  University of Pennsylvania

  89 shared

• Canice E. Crerand

  Nationwide Children's Hospital

  87 shared

• Jacqueline C. Spitzer

  83 shared

• Kristine J. Steffen

  North Dakota State University

  66 shared

• Gladys Strain

  Cornell University

  63 shared

Labs

• Center for Weight and Eating DisordersPI