Impact of dietary patterns according to NOVA food groups: 2 y after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery

Contribution of Ultra-Processed Foods to Weight Gain Recurrence 5 Years After Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate evolution of ultra-processed food intake and recurrent weight gain in patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study is an observational longitudinal study that evaluated patients who underwent metabolic and bariatric surgery at four time points: before surgery and at 3, 12, and 60 months after surgery. Anthropometric and dietary intake data were collected through two 24-h dietary recalls. All foods consumed were classified according to degree of processing. Recurrent weight gain was considered the difference between current weight and nadir weight.

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 58 patients with a mean age of 38.7 ± 8.9 years and 68% female. After 60 months, mean excess weight loss and recurrent weight gain were 73.6 ± 27.2% and 22.5 ± 17.4%. Calorie and macronutrient intake decreased significantly between the pre-surgery period, and 3 and 12 months post-surgery; however, there was no significant difference after 60 months. In relation to food groups or macronutrients, no difference was observed between the pre-surgery period and 60 months post-surgery. The contribution of unprocessed or minimally processed foods to calorie intake gradually decreased after 3 months post-surgery.

CONCLUSION

The profile of dietary intake after 60 months of metabolic and bariatric surgery tends to approach that of the pre-surgery period. The contribution of unprocessed and minimally processed foods to calorie intake decreased after 60 months, while ultra-processed food contribution increased.

Changes in nutrient composition and diet quality in the first 6 months following bariatric surgery: An observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Bariatric surgery (BS) may result in inadequate nutrient intake and poor diet quality, which can lead to nutritional complications. The present study aimed to evaluate changes in macro- and micronutrient composition and diet quality in the first 6 months following BS.

METHODS

One hundred seven participants undergoing BS (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: n = 87, sleeve gastrectomy: n = 20) completed 3-day food records before and 6 months after surgery. Changes in energy, macronutrient (carbohydrates, protein, fat, dietary fibre) and micronutrient intake (folate, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron) were evaluated. Diet quality was assessed by adherence to the Dutch food-based dietary guidelines.

RESULTS

After BS, we observed a significant decrease in intake of energy and all macro- and micronutrients (p < 0.01 for all), except for calcium (-39.0 ± 404.6 mg; p = 0.32). Overall, nutrient composition slightly changed with an increase in the relative intake of protein (+1.1 ± 4.3 energy percentage [en%]; p = 0.01) and mono- and disaccharides (+4.2 ± 6.4 en%; p < 0.001) post-surgery. Consumption (median [Q1, Q3]) of vegetables (-50 [-120, 6] g day-1 ), wholegrain products (-38 [-81, -8] g day-1 ), liquid fats (-5 [-13, 2] g day-1 ), red meat (-3 [-30, 4] g day-1 ), processed meat (-32 [-55, 13] g day-1 ), sodium (-0.7 [-1.1, -0.2] g day-1 ) and unhealthy food choices (-2.4 [-5.0, 0.6] serves week-1 ) significantly decreased after BS (p < 0.01 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate both favourable and unfavourable changes in macro- and micronutrient composition and diet quality in the first 6 months following BS. Insight into these changes can improve dietary counselling in this population. Future research into underlying causes, consequences and long-term changes in dietary intake is needed.

Distinctive patterns of sulfide- and butyrate-metabolizing bacteria after bariatric surgery: potential implications for colorectal cancer risk

Despite improved cardiometabolic outcomes following bariatric surgery, its long-term impact on colorectal cancer (CRC) risk remains uncertain. In parallel, the influence of bariatric surgery on the host microbiome and relationships with disease outcomes is beginning to be appreciated. Therefore, we investigated the impact of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) on the patterns of sulfide-reducing and butyrate-producing bacteria, which are hypothesized to modulate CRC risk after bariatric surgery. In this single-center, cross-sectional study, we included 15 pre-surgery subjects with severe obesity and patients who are at a median (range) of 25.6 (9.9-46.5) months after RYGB (n = 16) or VSG (n = 10). The DNA abundance of fecal bacteria and enzymes involved in butyrate and sulfide metabolism were identified using metagenomic sequencing. Differences between pre-surgery and post-RYGB or post-VSG cohorts were quantified using the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) method. Our sample was predominantly female (87%) with a median (range) age of 46 (23-71) years. Post-RYGB and post-VSG patients had a higher DNA abundance of fecal sulfide-reducing bacteria than pre-surgery controls (LDA = 1.3-4.4, p < .05). The most significant enrichments were for fecal E. coli, Acidaminococcus and A. finegoldii after RYGB, and for A. finegoldii, S. vestibularis, V. parvula after VSG. As for butyrate-producing bacteria, R. faecis was more abundant, whereas B. dentium and A. hardus were lower post-RYGB vs. pre-surgery. B. dentium was also lower in post-VSG vs. pre-surgery. Consistent with these findings, our analysis showed a greater enrichment of sulfide-reducing enzymes after bariatric surgery, especially RYGB, vs. pre-surgery. The DNA abundance of butyrate-producing enzymes was lower post-RYGB. In conclusion, the two most used bariatric surgeries, RYGB and VSG, are associated with microbiome patterns that are potentially implicated in CRC risk. Future studies are needed to validate and understand the impact of these microbiome changes on CRC risk after bariatric surgery.

Lifestyle Patterns in the Late Postoperative Period of Bariatric Surgery: a Descriptive Analysis of the CINTO Study

BACKGROUND

The behavior of patients undergoing metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) has been widely investigated to better understand their attitudes and to formulate effective advisory strategies. Although these elements have been studied separately, the magnitude of these behaviors still needs to be determined from a combined factors approach. This study aimed to identify the lifestyle patterns of patients who underwent MBS 5 or more years ago.

METHODS

In this observational study, 123 patients who underwent MBS at least 5 years ago were included. Anthropometric data, sociodemographic profile, dietary intake, physical activity level, sleeping, smoking, and alcohol consumption were collected for all participants. Lifestyle pattern was evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) index was applied to evaluate data factorability.

RESULTS

PCA identified two patterns of behavior adopted by the participants in the late postoperative (PO) period (more than 5 years PO) of MBS. In the first pattern, a positive correlation was found between consumption of ultra-processed foods (r = 0.459), risky consumption of alcoholic beverages (r = 0.630), and tobacco use (r = 0.584). In the second, a positive correlation was observed between the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods (r = 0.692) and more sleep time per day (r = 0.654).

CONCLUSION

After 5 years of PO, combined behavior analysis revealed healthy and unhealthy lifestyle patterns, which points to the relevance of permanent clinical follow-up of these patients to ensure the best health status.

Food Consumption and Weight Recurrence in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery with a Minimum of 2 Years Post-surgery

BACKGROUND

Eating habits are one of the factors that directly affect weight recurrence after bariatric surgery, and therefore, this study assessed the association between food consumption and weight recurrence in patients who underwent bariatric surgery a minimum of 2 years.

METHODS

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with patients who underwent bariatric surgery a minimum of 2 years through SUS, in the city of Palmas, Tocantins. Food consumption was assessed through two 24-h dietary recalls (R24). The foods were classified into groups by degree of processing following the NOVA classification system. Also, macronutrients and fiber contents were quantified. Anthropometric variables were evaluated and weight recurrence (WR) was defined as 15%.

RESULTS

Ninety-three (93) patients participated in the study, being 83.9% female, with mean age of 43.5 ± 9.13 years, mean post-surgery time of 4 years, and 58% present WR. A lower total energy consumption was found in patients without WR compared to those with WR (p = 0.05). Among the WR group, calories from processed foods (p = 0.00) and culinary ingredients (p = 0.05) were higher. However, carbohydrate consumption (percentage) was lower in the WR group (p = 0.04). A positive correlation was found between total energy (p = 0.03), processed foods (p = 0.03) and weight recurrence (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Weight recurrence is associated with total daily energy intake, carbohydrates and food groups classified according to NOVA.

The Risk of Colorectal Polyps after Weight Loss Therapy Versus Obesity: A Propensity-Matched Nationwide Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

A fundamental understanding of the impact of bariatric surgery (BRS) on mechanisms of colorectal carcinogenesis is limited. For instance, studies report a reduced risk of colorectal cancer in females but not in males after BRS. We examined whether this sex-specific difference existed at the earlier polyp development stage.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included 281,417 adults from the 2012-2020 MarketScan database. We compared polyps rates on colonoscopy in four groups: post- vs. pre-BRS (treatment) to post- vs. pre-severe obesity (SO) diagnosis (control). We focused our main analysis on a propensity-matched sample that yielded a balanced distribution of covariates in our four groups (n = 9680 adults, 21.9% males). We also adjusted for important covariates.

RESULTS

Metabolic syndrome parameters improved after bariatric surgery and worsened after severe obesity diagnosis (p < 0.05). The rate of polyps was 46.7% at a median of 0.5 years pre-BRS and 47.9% at a median of 0.6 years pre-SO diagnosis. The polyps rate was 45.4% at a median (range) of 3.2 (1.0-8.5) years post-BRS. Conversely, 53.8% of adults had polyps at 3.0 (1.0-8.6) years post-SO. There was no change in the risk of colorectal polyps in males or females post- vs. pre-BRS. However, the risk of polyps was higher in males (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.02-1.70) and females (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.13-1.47) post- vs. pre-SO. When compared to the control group (SO), the odds ratios for colorectal polyps were lower for males and females after bariatric surgery (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.44-0.90, and OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66-0.96, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of colorectal polyps, an effect that is ameliorated after bariatric surgery. These data are relevant for studies investigating colorectal carcinogenesis mechanisms.

Beneficial Short-Term Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Nutritional Inflammatory Profile and Metabolic Biomarkers

PURPOSE

Bariatric surgery (BS) has several potential metabolic benefits. However, little is known about its impact on changes in the inflammatory potential of diet and its effect on inflammatory and metabolic markers. This study aimed to assess the short-term beneficial effects of BS on dietary inflammatory potential and inflammatory and metabolic markers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants (n = 20) were evaluated 3 months before and after BS. Body mass, body mass index, anthropometric measurements, fat mass, fat-free mass, visceral fat, skeletal muscle mass, basal metabolic rate, serum lipids, HOMA-IR, QUICKI and inflammatory markers, including leptin, adiponectin, adiponectin/leptin ratio and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), were evaluated. Diet data were collected using a 3-day diet record and the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DIITM) scores were computed.

RESULTS

There was a reduction in DII® (2.56 vs 2.13) and E-DIITM (2.18 vs 0.45) indicating an improvement in inflammatory nutritional profile. Moreover, there were increases in the adiponectin/leptin ratio (0.08 vs 0.21) and QUICKI scores (0.31 vs 0.37), and reductions in leptin (36.66 vs 11.41 ng/ml) and HOMA-IR scores (3.93 vs 1.50). There were also improvements in body composition and anthropometric parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

BS promotes changes in metabolic profile, inflammatory state and food intake and these modifications appeared to be associated with improvements in diet-related inflammation, an increase in the adiponectin/leptin ratio and a reduction in leptin. These results contribute to knowledge on the contribution bariatric surgery can make to the treatment of obesity and the reduction of related comorbidities.

Long-Term Lifestyle Habits and Quality of Life after Roux-in-Y Gastric Bypass in Brazilian Public versus Private Healthcare Systems: Beyond Weight Loss

Lifestyle and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are good markers of surgical obesity treatment. This study aimed to investigate the lifestyle and HRQoL of patients at least five years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in public (SUS) and private (PVT) Brazilian healthcare systems. In this cross-sectional study, weight loss (WL), % of excess WL (%EWL), diet quality, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and HRQoL were evaluated. Analysis of covariance, binary and multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for confounders, were performed. The SUS group had more vulnerable socioeconomic statuses than the PVT group. Total %WL and % EWL were 24.64 ± 0.99% and 60.46 ± 2.41%, respectively, without difference between groups. In the Pain/Discomfort and Anxiety/Depression domains of HRQoL, more than 50% reported moderate problems without differences between groups. Processed food ingestion was higher in the PVT (132.10 ± 60.15 g/1000 kcal) than in the SUS (103.43 ± 41.72 g/1000 kcal), however, without statistical significance (p = 0.093). The PVT group showed lower physical activity (OR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.87-0.63; p = 0.004) and a higher risk of alcohol-related problems (OR: 3.23; 95%CI; 1.03-10.10; p = 0.044) compared to SUS group. Participants generally achieved satisfactory WL, regardless of healthcare systems. However, PVT participants had unfavorable lifestyle characteristics, highlighting the need for studies investigating environmental issues post-bariatric surgery.

The Influence of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Diet on NaCl and Sucrose Taste Detection Thresholds and Number of Circumvallate and Fungiform Taste Buds in Female Rats

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in rats attenuates preference for, and intake of, sugar solutions. Additionally, maintenance on a high-fat diet (HFD) reportedly alters behavioral responsiveness to sucrose in rodents in short-term drinking tests. Due to the fact that the behavioral tests to date rely on the hedonic value of the stimulus to drive responsiveness, we sought to determine whether taste detection thresholds to sucrose and NaCl are affected by these manipulations as measured in an operant two-response signal detection paradigm. Female rats were maintained on HFD or chow for 10 weeks, at which point animals received either RYGB or SHAM surgery followed by a gel-based diet and then powdered chow. Upon recovery, half of the rats that were previously on HFD were switched permanently to chow, and the other rats were maintained on their presurgical diets (n = 5–9/diet condition x surgery group for behavioral testing). The rats were then trained and tested in a gustometer. There was a significant interaction between diet condition and surgery on NaCl threshold that was attributable to a lower value in RYGB vs. SHAM rats in the HFD condition, but this failed to survive a Bonferroni correction. Importantly, there were no effects of diet condition or surgery on sucrose thresholds. Additionally, although recent evidence suggests that maintenance on HFD alters taste bud number in the circumvallate papillae (CV) of mice, in a subset of rats, we did not find that diet significantly influenced taste pores in the anterior tongue or CV of female rats. These results suggest that any changes in sucrose responsiveness in intake/preference or hedonically oriented tests in rats as a function of HFD maintenance or RYGB are not attributable to alterations in taste sensitivity.

The Relationship between Bariatric Food Pyramid and Long-Term Anthropometric Measurements of Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery

The bariatric food pyramid is a standard for long-term healthy living and nutritional habits of patients who have undergone bariatric surgery, taking their gastric capacity and special nutritional requirements into account. This study aimed to evaluate how the compliance with the pyramid affects the anthropometric change in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery, depending on the period after surgery. 81 patients who have undergone bariatric surgery between August 2016 and September 2018 participated in the study. The patients were evaluated in the postoperative period and were divided into three groups according to the year they had the operation. Food consumption frequency information was obtained from the patients, and the amount of food consumed per day was recorded in grams. Protein, vegetable, fruit, grain, and oil consumption was calculated according to the pyramid and calculated as portions. A statistically significant difference was found for all three groups in terms of weight loss and body mass index (BMI) changes before and after surgery (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). It was observed that the amount of protein consumed by the patients was sufficient, cereal was high, and fruit was insufficient. Patients who consumed foods that were not recommended slowed in weight loss. In conclusion, it is estimated that increased consumption of grains and nonrecommended foods may cause weight gains. In order to prevent this, it is necessary to ensure that patients are fed in accordance with the pyramid and followed for many years.

A systematic review and meta-analyses of food preference modifications after bariatric surgery

This systematic review and meta-analyses aimed to synthesize evidence of the link between bariatric surgery and changes in food preferences, considering the method of assessment. MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Cinahl, PsychINFO, ProQuest, and Open grey were searched incorporating two blocks of terms ("Intervention" and "Food Preferences"). Interventional or observational studies involving patients (BMI ≥ 35 kg m^-2 ) with sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) and a control group were included. Meta-analyses were performed comparing the standardized daily mean percentage energy from proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids between preoperative and postoperative patients. Fifty-seven studies concerning 2,271 patients with RYGB and 903 patients with SG met the inclusion criteria, of which 24 were eligible for meta-analysis. Despite a total reduction in macronutrient intakes, the meta-analyses revealed a postoperative increase in percentage energy from proteins at 12 months (0.24, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.46, {I² } = 73%) and a decrease in percentage energy from fat at 1 month (-0.47, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.09, {I² } = 72%), up to 24 months (-0.20, 95% CI: -0.31, 0.08, {I² } = 0%). In conclusion, the present systematic review and meta-analyses showed changes of food preferences in terms of macronutrient, food selection and, overall food appreciation up to 5 years following bariatric surgery.

Evaluation of Dietary Assessment Tools Used in Bariatric Population

Severe obesity is associated with major health issues and bariatric surgery is still the only treatment to offer significant and durable weight loss. Assessment of dietary intakes is an important component of the bariatric surgery process. Objective: To document the dietary assessment tools that have been used with patients targeted for bariatric surgery and patients who had bariatric surgery and explore the extent to which these tools have been validated. Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify studies that used a dietary assessment tool with patients targeted for bariatric surgery or who had bariatric surgery. Results: 108 studies were included. Among all studies included, 27 used a dietary assessment tool that had been validated either as part of the study per se (n = 11) or in a previous study (n = 16). Every tool validated per se in the cited studies was validated among a bariatric population, while none of the tools validated in previous studies were validated in this population. Conclusion: Few studies in bariatric populations used a dietary assessment tool that had been validated in this population. Additional studies are needed to develop valid and robust dietary assessment tools to improve the quality of nutritional studies among bariatric patients.

Nutritional Inadequacies Among Post-bariatric Patients During COVID-19 Quarantine in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Post bariatric control of food intake is influenced by psychological and behavioral factors. We investigated dietary habits and food intake during COVID-19 quarantine among recently operated patients. Patients were assessed for total and per meal energy and macronutrient intake as well as frequency of food consumption per processing level. Patients were also classified according to adherence to nutritional recommendations from our outpatient clinic. Main results are indicative of inappropriate nutritional intake during COVID-19 quarantine in postoperative bariatric patients. We observed that many patients failed to meet the recommended protein intake (89.2%) along a relatively high intake of ultra-processed foods (~1/4 of the diet). Our data suggest the need for the implementation of strategies to extend nutritional care to at-risk patients during social distancing.

Considerations for Measurement of Sodium Intake

Current salt consumption is the major risk factor for hypertension and consequently cardiovascular disease (CVD). Accurate measurement of Na intake is an important component of developing dietary interventions to treat hypertension and lower CVD risk. Given that existing methods have a large subject burden, quick and practical ways to assess Na intake in individuals, particularly in hypertensive subjects, are needed. Such tools may be used for motivation to quantify salt intake and to set targets for lifestyle changes for prevention of CVD within a clinic setting. Patients at high risk of development of CVD may be identified and targeted for motivational interviewing. They may also be used as part of cardiac rehabilitation programs and will allow individuals to measure their own intake and to see the results of their individual action.