Energy intake, nutritional status and weight reduction in patients one year after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is increasingly popular due to its efficiency in reducing excess weight, however little is known about the nutritional status in patients after surgery. Purpose: To investigate how LSG affects energy intake, nutritional status and body weight one year after surgery. Methods: A total of 150 patients (116 women) were enrolled in the study. Data on body weight, waist circumference and blood samples were registered preoperatively and after surgery. Food intake was reported 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Results: The preoperative median BMI was 44.3 (inter quartile range 41.4-47.1), and was significantly reduced to 35.4 (32.6-38.6) after 3 months and further reduced to 30.5 (27.4-33.8) 12 months after surgery (p < 0.05). The median post surgery daily energy intake was significantly increased from 2971 (1982-3687) kJ after three months to 3840 (3046-4625) kJ twelve months postoperatively. One year after surgery, serum levels of folate, cobalamin, PTH and HDL cholesterol were significantly increased, whereas calcium, albumin, haemoglobin, creatinine, uric acid, CRP, glucose, insulin, insulin c-peptide, HOMA-IR, HbA1c and triacylglycerol were significantly decreased. Serum levels of vitamins E and D were unchanged after one year. The prevalence of patients with medically regulated type 2 diabetes was significantly reduced one year post surgery however no changes were seen in the prevalence of patients taking lipid lowering drugs or thyroxin. Conclusion: Based on the data obtained 12 months after surgery, LSG appears to be an effective treatment of morbid obesity without worsening the nutritional status despite the very low energy intake.