Dietary recommendations for bariatric patients

Over the past few decades, obesity has become a growing public health problem worldwide. The goal of fighting obesity is to improve health. Sustained weight loss of more than 10% of the total body weight improves the course of many obesity-related diseases, as well as the quality of life. The high effectiveness of bariatric surgery in the treatment of obesity in achieving significant and sustained weight loss has been demonstrated in several studies. In most centers where bariatric surgery is performed, the recommendation for preoperative weight loss is followed. The enlarged left lobe of the liver makes it difficult to access the stomach and, accordingly, prevents technically correct operation. Weight loss before bariatric surgery reduces the risk of complications in the postoperative period, and therefore preoperative preparation in the form of hypocaloric nutrition and regular physical activity is recommended for patients, considering concomitant pathology. One of the problems in the postoperative period is the need to change the usual lifestyle and diet due to the need to follow the recommendations of the attending physician. This can lead to a decrease in the quality of life after surgery due to psychoemotional overstrain. The nutrition of bariatric patients implies significant changes associated with a decrease in the amount of food consumed, difficulty in assimilation of nutrients, and the poverty of flavors offered up to this day in the specialized nutrition market. With the help of food products within the framework of low-calorie diets, it becomes almost impossible to feed such a patient without reducing their nutritional value. In 2024, balanced low-calorie nutrition OPTIFAST® (OPTIFAST) appeared on the Russian market, which has proven itself worldwide for more than 50 years and has shown its effectiveness and safety in more than 80 international clinical trials with a high level of evidence. OPTIFAST provides the patient with all the necessary nutrients and allows you to manage the daily calorie intake, gives the patient a feeling of satiety necessary for high adherence to a low-calorie diet, which is indicated for patients with obesity and overweight.