Nutritional Management of the Bariatric Surgery Patient

The nutritional imbalance of patients submitting to weight reduction surgery begins prior to the operation and continues throughout life. Understanding where the patient starts, the sequelae and magnitude of the deficiency depending on the procedure performed as well as follow-up and compliance issues are paramount in counseling patients regarding their nutritional requirements following bariatric surgery. In addition to these challenges, the health-care provider needs to consider the lack of sufficient level I evidence and the unavailability of long-term data as well as the need to individualize patient care based on the specific patient population.