ABSTRACT
Nutrition assessment and dietary management in surgical weight loss is thought to be an important correlate of success. In the simplest explanation, obesity is the result of an imbalance in energy intake versus expenditure. While obese individuals are over-nourished from an energy standpoint, sufficient evidence exists that certain micronutrient deficiencies are more common in the overweight. The incongruity in nutrition status despite adequate intake must be explored preoperatively with a comprehensive nutrition assessment conducted by a dietitian, physician, or a well-informed nurse practitioner or physician assistant. In addition to assessing the nutrition status of the surgical candidate, the psychosocial aspects of nutrition along with general nutrition knowledge should be evaluated. This chapter will describe a comprehensive approach to the nutrition management of both surgical candidates and postoperative patients, focusing on Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).
