Nutritional Management in Bariatric Surgery Patients

Andrea Deledda, Stefano Pintus, Andrea Loviselli, Michele Fosci, Giovanni Fantola and Fernanda Velluzzi
Additional contact information
Andrea Deledda: Endocrinology and Obesity Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Stefano Pintus: Obesity Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, ARNAS G. Brotzu, 09134 Cagliari, Italy
Andrea Loviselli: Endocrinology and Obesity Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Michele Fosci: Endocrinology and Obesity Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Giovanni Fantola: Obesity Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, ARNAS G. Brotzu, 09134 Cagliari, Italy
Fernanda Velluzzi: Endocrinology and Obesity Unit, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 22, 1-16

Abstract: The obesity epidemic, mainly due to lifestyle changes in recent decades, leads to serious comorbidities that reduce life expectancy. This situation is affecting the health policies of many nations around the world. Traditional measures such as diet, physical activity, and drugs are often not enough to achieve weight loss goals and to maintain the results over time. Bariatric surgery (BS) includes various techniques, which favor rapid and sustained weight loss. BS is a useful and, in most cases, the best treatment in severe and complicated obesity. In addition, it has a greater benefit/risk ratio than non-surgical traditional therapies. BS can allow the obese patient to lose weight quickly compared with traditional lifestyle changes, and with a greater probability of maintaining the results. Moreover, BS promotes improvements in metabolic parameters, even diabetes remission, and in the quality of life. These changes can lead to an increase of life expectancy by over 6 years on average. The nutrition of people before and after BS must be the subject of indications from a trained staff, and patients must be followed in the subsequent years to reduce the risk of malnutrition and the associated problems. In particular, it is still debated whether it is necessary to lose weight prior to surgery, a procedure that can facilitate the surgeon’s work reducing the surgical risk, but at the same time, lengthens preparation times increasing the risks associated with concomitant pathologies. Furthermore, preventing nutritional deficiencies prior to the intervention can improve the results and reduce short- and long-term mortality.

Keywords: obesity; bariatric surgery; metabolic surgery; nutritional deficiencies; nutrition pre-habilitation; nutrition care; dietary supplements; diabetes remission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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