The long-term effect of bariatric surgery on depression and anxiety

•Depressive symptoms are lower than baseline beyond 2 years post-surgery.•The post-surgery course of anxiety symptoms is more variable.•Pre-surgery anxiety/depressive symptoms do no predict post-surgery BMI.•Bariatric surgery is associated with long-term psychological improvements. No previous review has comprehensively assessed long-term changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms in bariatric surgery patients. This systematic review assessed the effects of bariatric surgery on long-term reductions (≥ 24 months) in anxiety and depressive symptom severity in morbidly obese (≥ 35 BMI kg/m2) participants. Short term effects (