Malnutrition: Incidence, Diagnosis, and Management

Patients with obesity are at risk of malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies before and after metabolic and bariatric surgeries. The risk varies based on the type of surgery and what nutritional supplementation is used postoperatively. Specifically, postoperative patients are at risk of deficiencies of protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin D, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin K, zinc, copper, and selenium. Postoperatively, patients should undergo laboratory testing routinely to evaluate for these deficiencies and any deficiencies should be treated aggressively with supplementation.