Roux-en-y gastric bypass reduces body parameters but does not alter diet quality during six months follow-up

Abstract

Backgroung: the diet quality contributes for the success of weight loss treatment after bariatric surgery. Objective: to evaluate weight loss, body parameters and diet quality during the short-term (6 months) follow-up of subjects undergoing Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB). Methods: prospective and observational study, carried out with adult patients, of both sexes, submitted to RYGB. Weight, BMI, percentage of total weight loss (%TWL), waist circumference (WC), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and diet quality were evaluated before (T0), and approximately in the second (T1) and sixth month (T2) after RYGB. Diet quality was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA or Friedman’s test, with 5% significance level. Results: the final sample consisted of 18 patients, (89% female). %TWL was 16.2% at T1 and 26.7% at T2. There was a significant reduction in weight, BMI, WC, FM, FFM (p<0.001), in total daily calorie intake (p=0.017), and in total fat consumption (p=0.009) over the course of the evaluated moments. The diet was classified as low quality, mainly due to the low intake of cereals, roots, tubers, fruits, vegetables, legumes, meat, eggs, milk and derivatives, not differing between the evaluated moments (p>0.05). Conclusion: in the present study, despite adequate weight loss and reduction of body parameters, subjects submitted to RYGB showed a low diet quality during the follow-up, indicating the maintenance of inadequate eating habits.