Prevalent bariatric dietary practices: Is India on the same page?

Area of Science:

• Bariatric Surgery
• Dietary Practices
• Clinical Nutrition

Background:

• Increasing bariatric procedures in India necessitate monitoring current practices.
• Understanding dietary protocols is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify prevalent pre- and post-operative dietary practices.
• To survey bariatric professionals across India.

Main Methods:

• Internet-based survey of 33 bariatric professionals (25 dietitians, 8 surgeons).
• Analysis of collected data on dietary practices.
• Identification of prevalent pre- and post-surgery dietary recommendations.

Main Results:

• 70% of professionals use low-calorie pre-surgery diets, favoring liquids.
• Post-surgery, liquid (1-2 weeks) and soft diets (2-4 weeks) are common.
• Protein shakes are primary protein sources for 3 months; 30% report whey protein aversions.
• 84% use portion control; 71% advocate low-carbohydrate meals (<30%) for up to a year.

Conclusions:

• Prevalent dietary practices among Indian bariatricians align with national and international guidelines.
• Standardization of dietary protocols may improve patient management.