Researchers at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore have revealed that many obese people may be malnourished before they undergo weight-loss surgery, which could lead to complications.
As part of a study, investigators conducted nutritional assessments in 58 patients, ages 18 to 65, who were scheduled to undergo bariatric surgery at Johns Hopkins. They analyzed blood levels of vitamins A, B12, D and E, as well as iron, folate and thiamine.
They found one in five patients had three or more deficiencies. For instance, 36 percent of the patients studied had subpar levels of iron compared to the average 2 percent of men and 9 percent of women. Additionally, 71 percent of the participants were vitamin D deficient, compared to an estimated 42 percent of the general population.
Because nutritional deficiencies — including low vitamin D levels — are believed to increase the risk of inflammation, infections and delayed wound healing, addressing them early on is particularly important, according to the researchers.
"Our results highlight the often-overlooked paradox that abundance of food and good nutrition are not one and the same," said senior investigator and Johns Hopkins professor of surgery Kimberley Steele, MD, PhD. "Overweight and obese people can suffer from nutritional deficiencies, and those who care for them should be aware of it."
First author Leigh Peterson, PhD, a nutritionist and postdoctoral research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Bariatric Surgery, suggests incorporating a well-balanced, healthy diet into patients' presurgical consults to prevent malnourishment.
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