Principals of nutrition after surgical procedure

Abstract

Morbid obesity can be successfully treated with metabolic surgery, but management of pre-and post-operative nutrition needs special attention and correlates with success. Imbalanced food selection over a long period of time and multiple efforts with different diets lead the most morbidly obese patients to the risk of developing nutritional deficiencies, in particular to the lack of fat soluble vitamins, folic acid and zinc [1]. In addition, surgery designed to promote weight loss by change of eating behavior and anatomic structures may enhance deficiencies of macro- and/or micronutrients. Deficiencies of micronutrients [2] and macronutrients lead to preventable side effects. As well nutritional therapy as bariatric surgery aim at improving physical condition of morbide obese patients. This chapter is focused on the problems arising in the area of nutrition before and after bariatric surgery. Recommendations for diagnostic procedures, macro-/micronutrient substitution and main shortcomings associated with each bariatric surgery will be mentioned.