Nutritional Implications of Bariatric Surgery and the Role of the Registered Dietitians

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 The obesity rate continues to rise and with that the prevalence of bariatric surgery is also on the rise. This is the last resort for individuals who cannot conquer their weight issues through diet and exercise alone. The RD's role is very important because the gut no longer functions as it did pre op and there are nutrient deficiencies in this population.
 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the most common deficiency seen with bariatric patients. A vitamin D supplement does not always improve the deficiency. The dose needs to be quite substantial, about 50.000 IU per week.
 Vitamin B6 and thiamin are other micronutrients that tend to be low or deficient in bariatric patients. These deficiencies are due to lack of adherence to the MTV regimen and altered absorption in the GI tract due to surgical procedure. Thus this is evidence for the importance of RDs on the bariatric team. The diet post op is imperative on the success of the surgery. The surgery alone will not keep the weight off. The individuals have to learn to eat a balanced diet and be physically active.

-- Sarah Carlson

Beckman L, Earthman C. Nutritional implications of bariatric surgery and the role of the registered dietitians. JAND. 2013;113(3):398-399. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2012.11.017

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