DIETITIAN CONSULTATIONS
Pre-operative consultations aim to ensure any existing nutritional deficiencies are addressed and to ensure the patient is getting into good healthy eating behaviours prior to surgery.
Post-operative consultations are necessary to ensure an optimal nutritional status; promote wound healing; preserve lean muscle mass; facilitate safe and sustained weight loss; and nurture a healthier lifestyle.
Annual follow ups are of high importance to ensure the patient continues in healthy eating behaviours, has achieved the weight loss recommended and is maintaining weight loss. If the patient is not compliant with the post operative dietary recommendations, they can start to regain weight and macro (protein, carbohydrate and fat) and micronutrient (vitamin and minerals) stores can become progressively depleted. Only once the levels are dangerously low, will they start to experience feelings of sub-optimal performance.
Data collected from visits are used in evidence based studies and published in international journals.
Consultations
Initial Consultation
The first consultation is 60 minutes and will include:
• Explanation of bariatric surgery and the nutritional and dietary implications before and after the surgery.
• Assessment of individual objectives
• Full medical, weight and dietary history
• Weight, Height and BMI calculation
• Dietary assessment
• Setting of individual goals
• Formulation of an eating plan to suit individual need according to the obtained information
• Behaviour changes
Follow up visits
30 min consultation
Visit 2:
• Assessment of whether individual goals have been achieved
• Assessment of how the patient is coping with recommended dietary and behaviour changes and compliance with the eating plan
• To identify any barriers to change
• Making dietary changes if necessary
• Setting of individual goals
Visit 3:
Usually 2 weeks pre-operatively
• Assessing if the patient is ready for surgery
• Advising on pre-operative and post-operative dietary progression
Visit 4:
1 – 2 weeks post-operatively
• Advising on the post-operative progression of the dietary phases
Visit 5:
3 months post operatively
• Assessment of nutritional status and if macro and micronutrient intake is being met
• Calculation of percentage weight loss
• Assessment of eating behaviour, habits and general lifestyle
ANNUAL VISITS:
• Assessment of nutritional status and if macro and micronutrient intake is being met
• Calculation of percentage weight loss
• Assessment of eating behaviour, habits and general lifestyle
• Scoring on nutritional aspects and eating behaviour according to a designed score sheet to be kept in your file