Research Showcase Abstracts

Bariatric surgery is a weight-loss procedure to treat obesity and its associated health complications, resulting in reduced size and absorptive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract. At present, there are limited protein and calorie guidelines for post-surgical patients to achieve and maintain ideal body weight.

To determine the average caloric and protein intakes, activity levels, and weight loss rates of a sample of post bariatric patients with the Health Sciences North (HSN) Bariatric program.

A retrospective chart review was conducted on 50 randomly selected patients at three, six, and 12 months following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) and Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) procedures between September 2016 to December 2017. Anthropometric data from patients charts and 24-hour diet recalls were recorded in Excel© and then analyzed using simple descriptive statistics to determine the average caloric and protein intakes, activity levels, and weight loss rates.

The average initial weight of the RYGB sample (n=44) was 128.8 kg while the SG sample (n=6) was 139.3 kg. Average post-surgical weights for the RYGB and SG samples were 111.8 kg and 123.4 kg (one month), 102.3 kg and 103.4 kg (three months), 92.5 kg and 99.8 kg (six months), and 73.4 kg and 136.8 kg (12 months) respectively. Average caloric and protein intake were 759.0 kcal and 63.4 g (three months), 905.7 kcal and 71.4 g (six months), and 932.5 kcal and 62.1 g (12 months) respectively. Average minutes of physical activity per week were 290 (three months), 282 (six months), and 368 (12 months).

The small sample size and incomplete data, particularly 24-hour diet recalls and physical activity measures, limits further conclusions and generalizability.

These results may allow clinicians to better understand key nutrition and activity indicators and weight loss rates of their client population.