Bariatric surgery helps obese people lose weight. After the procedure, the patient may lose up to 90 percent. excess body weight. In order to maintain this effect for many years, he must change his diet before the surgery. Dr. Melissa Majumdar, a nutrition specialist at the Brigham He alth Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in Boston, USA, advises on how to implement the new dietary rules.

Who is bariatric surgery for?

Bariatric surgeriesare performed inpeople with third degree obesity(so-called morbid obesity), in whom the body mass index (BMI - Body Mass Index) is 40 and more, and people withobesity II degree(BMI 35+) and diseases that are complications of obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis. In Poland, four types of such surgeries are performed, namely: insertion of a gastric band, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass and mini gastric bypass. Treatments are reimbursed by the National He alth Fund and are carried out by about 30 hospitals. Annually, we carry out 2,000 to 3,000 bariatric surgeries. There are about 2 million obese people in Poland (2nd and 3rd degree) who require this method of treatment.

Bariatric surgeryis not a "cure for obesity". Thanks to bariatric surgery, the patient can reduce body weight (up to 90% overweight), but it will not cure obesity itself. The patient must also be aware that after the bariatric surgery it will be necessary to completely change his diet. Therefore, before an obese person undergoes surgery, he is consulted with a dietitian so that he or she introduces new nutrition rules before the procedure. And all this to make it easier for her to adapt to the new nutritional requirements after the surgery and to preserve its effects for many years. Nutritional guidelines for the so-called bariatric patients, i.e. people before and after bariatric surgeries, differ in details from country to country. There is, however, a set of general recommendations. They are presented by Dr. Melissa Majumdar, a nutrition specialist at the Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery "Brigham He alth" in Boston (USA), who also works for the American association of non-governmental organizations working for people with obesity - ObesityAction Coalition (OAC) .

Diet before bariatric surgery: do you know why you eat?

Bariatric surgery is not brain surgery. During the operation, the surgeon will shrink your stomach and remove or disable the part of it that produces ghrelin, the hormone that sends a hunger signal to the brain. But that doesn't mean you won't be thinking about eating and feeling hungry or hungry. So why are you eating? Are you eating because you feel hungry and want to provide your body with nutrients? Or maybe you eat stress, boredom, bad emotions? Or maybe you eat out of habit? Surgery will not change the reasons you eat or what you eat. So before the procedure, start building new nutrition rules to eat wisely. Consult a dietitian who will prepare a nutrition plan tailored to your individual needs and a psychologist who will help you understand why you are eating.

Diet before bariatric surgery: overcome stress, but not with food.

Each of us has our own methods of dealing with emotional tension and nerves. One of them is food, but there are also others, e.g. crocheting, knitting, walking, gardening, painting pictures, etc. you just want to eat outside of the designated meal times.

Diet before bariatric surgery: eat regularly.

After bariatric surgery, you will eat meals every 3-4 hours. These will be small portions. Those that can fit in one handful. It can be difficult to quickly switch to this type of nutrition, so start doing it before the procedure. The quality of the food is also important. After surgery with many ingredients (e.g. sugar, fats) and products (e.g. sodas, products with preservatives, bloating vegetables) you will have to give up. Do it before the procedure and arrange the list of new products and dishes with a dietitian.

Diet before bariatric surgery: chew your food thoroughly.

Do it very slowly and carefully. After surgery, your stomach will digest food differently. It will not mix the food, and it will also have less enzymes and stomach acid to digest it. Therefore, you must learn that the stomach must be "given" food that is as rubbed as possible, crushed by teeth. After surgery, swallowing too large a bite may result in vomiting.

Diet before bariatric surgery: drink plenty of water.

Always keep a bottle of still water (!) With you and sip it in small sips every few minutes. This is how you will drink after your bariatric surgery. Notyou will be able to drink a cup of tea or a glass of juice in a few gulps. When preparing for surgery, do not drink while eating, but about 30 minutes after a meal. This is one of the main rules of nutrition after surgery. Your diminished stomach cannot hold food and water. And drinking fluids is extremely important because dehydration is one of the most common postoperative complications.

Diet before bariatric surgery: stick to the plan.

Don't take breaks from your new eating schedule. Manage any sudden food needs that are prompted by your appetite. After the surgery, you will not be able to afford it. So it is better to be responsible to yourself and to doctors and specialists before the procedure. Keeping a pre-and post-operative regimen will also help you keep a diary where you keep track of: food, portion size, calories, current weight, physical activity (including exercise) and your emotions.

Prepared on the basis of own materials and the text from the website: www.obesityaction.org

Important

Poradnikzdrowie.pl supports safe treatment and a dignified life of people suffering from obesity. This article does not contain discriminatory and stigmatizing content of people suffering from obesity.

About the authorMagdalena Gajda A specialist in obesity disease and obesity discrimination of people with diseases. President of the OD-WAGA Foundation of People with Obesity, Social Ombudsman for the Rights of People with Obesity in Poland and a representative of Poland in the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity. By profession - a journalist specializing in he alth issues, as well as a PR, social communication, storytelling and CSR specialist. Privately - obesity since childhood, after bariatric surgery in 2010. Starting weight - 136 kg, current weight - 78 kg.

Category:

Obesity