David B. Sarwer

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

• Effect of Weight Loss on Upper Airway Anatomy and the Apnea–Hypopnea Index. The Importance of Tongue Fat

  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine · 2020-01-10 · 210 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Rationale Obesity is the primary risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Tongue fat is increased in obese persons with OSA, and may explain the relationship between obesity and OSA. Weight loss improves OSA, but the mechanism is unknown. Objectives To determine the effect of weight loss on upper airway anatomy in subjects with obesity and OSA. We hypothesized that weight loss would decrease soft tissue volumes and tongue fat, and that these changes would correlate with reductions…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The association between adverse childhood experiences and childhood obesity: A systematic review

  Obesity Reviews · 2021-01-27 · 175 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with numerous physical and mental health issues in children and adults. The effect of ACEs on development of childhood obesity is less understood. This systematic review was undertaken to synthesize the quantitative research examining the relationship between ACEs and childhood obesity. PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science were searched in July 2020; Rayyan was used to screen studies, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess risk of bi…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A review of the psychosocial aspects of clinically severe obesity and bariatric surgery.

  American Psychologist · 2020-02-01 · 132 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  For the past 2 decades, clinically severe obesity (operationalized as a body mass index ≥40 kg/m2) has increased at a more pronounced rate that less severe obesity. As a result, the surgical treatment of obesity (bariatric surgery) has become a more widely accepted, yet still underutilized, treatment for persons with severe obesity and significant weight-related health problems. Psychologists play a central role on the multidisciplinary team involved in the preoperative assessment and postoperat…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The Administration of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) in Persons with Obesity: Physical Differences or Cognitive Bias?

  CommonHealth · 2025-04-24

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Social Isolation and Loneliness in Persons with Obesity

  CommonHealth · 2024-10-09

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

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

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

Similar researchers at University of Pennsylvania

• John Q. Trojanowskih-296
• Craig B. Thompsonh-277
• Daniel J Raderh-236