Dietary counseling has little effect after gastric bypass

(HealthDay)—Dietary and behavioral counseling can help improve nutrient intake in patients who have had gastric bypass surgery, but nutrient intake still remains inadequate in many patients, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Investigative Medicine.

In order to limit energy intake and improve nutrient intakes, Meena Shah, Ph.D., from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, and colleagues gave dietary and behavioral counseling and assessed reported food intake for 12 weeks in 23 patients who had undergone gastric banding.

Before counseling, the researchers found that more than half of patients had inadequate dietary intake of 13 nutrients, while over consuming sodium and obtaining too much energy from saturated and trans-fatty acids. During counseling, there were significant reductions in intake of energy, protein, cholesterol, and potassium, while intake of vitamin K and energy intake from protein significantly increased. However, throughout the study, many patients still had inadequate intake of 27 nutrients.

"Dietary intervention improved the intake of some nutrients in the gastric banding surgery patients," Shah and colleagues conclude. "However, most nutrient intake requirements remained unmet by many subjects."