Background

This study aimed to investigate changes in dietary intake and food tolerance after bariatric surgery in the Chinese population with a focus on Chinese dietary patterns.

Methods

The study enrolled 100 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery and were followed for 1 year, recording patient characteristics, laboratory data, and dietary conditions. Food tolerance was assessed using a questionnaire at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the operation. The surgical methods, changes in body condition, laboratory results, and tolerance scores were analyzed.

Results

The results showed an average decrease in BMI of 11.2 kg/m2 and improvements in metabolic parameters after 1 year of surgery. Calorie and protein intake decreased sharply one month after surgery but increased over the following year. Food tolerance varied for different types of foods and at different time points, with dry rice and bread showing poor tolerance (<3 at post-op 1 month). However, congee, eggs, soybean, fruits, and milk had relatively better tolerance scores (>3.5) in the early post-op period. Nuts, yogurt, and cheese were less commonly tried, which may be related to Chinese dietary habits.

Conclusions

Post-bariatric surgery dietary education and planning should prioritize small, frequent meals, protein-rich, and soft foods initially, followed by gradually introducing other foods based on tolerance. These recommendations can guide post-bariatric surgery dietary management and planning under the Chinese dietary pattern, including avoiding dry rice and bread initially and considering dairy products, eggs, soybean, fruits, and vegetables based on their softness and tolerance.