Research Editorial Bariatric Surgery: A Key Role for Registered
DietitiansROBERT F. KUSHNER, MD; LISA M. NEFF, MD
Obesityisacomplexdisorderthatimpactsallorgan mechanismsofactionareshownintheandin-
systems. Individuals with obesity are at increased
clude restriction of gastric capacity, modulation of gastro-
risk for a variety of comorbid conditions, including
intestinal hormones that influence hunger and satiety,
diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart disease, sleep
and induction of malabsorption Beckman and
apnea, some types of cancer, nonalcoholic fatty liver dis-
colleagues provide a comprehensive literature review of
ease, and osteoarthritis, among others. Those at highest
one of these mechanisms, changes in gastrointestinal (GI)
risk are individuals with class III obesity (body mass
hormones that occur after the RYGB procedure As
index Ն40), a group that now includes almost 5% of all
stated in their review, “An understanding of how GI
adults and more than 10% of all African-American adults
hormones change after RYGB may help dietitians to op-
timize nutrition care to this patient population”
Nonsurgical approaches to the treatment of obesity,
Knowledge of gut hormones is also important to RDs
including lifestyle modification and pharmacotherapy,
because pharmaceutical companies have focused on the
typically result in average weight losses of 5% to 10% of
manipulation of these hormones as peripheral targets for
initial body weight. Importantly, losses of this magnitude
can substantially improve existing comorbidities and pre-
At this time, bariatric surgery is the most effective
vent new weight-related conditions, including diabetes
intervention for severe obesity, producing substantial
However, studies suggest that most individuals
weight loss (typically on the order of 30% to 70% of excess
with obesity hope to lose considerably more weight, often
body weight) that is largely maintained over time
as much as 20% to 40% of initial body weight, and they
The benefits of bariatric surgery also include high rates of
may view lesser degrees of weight loss as a disappoint-
remission of many obesity-associated comorbidities, in-
ment or even a failure In addition, the physiologic
cluding diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, as well
adaptations to weight loss, including reductions in energy
as an improvement in quality of life and a reduction in
expenditure and changes in hunger- and satiety-promot-
mortality rates As a result of this success, the
ing hormones, make it more difficult for individuals to
number of bariatric procedures done annually has in-
maintain a reduced body weight over time As a result,
creased dramatically in recent years, as noted in the
successful weight management is an elusive goal for
accompanying review by Kulick and colleagues In
many patients with obesity who utilize nonsurgical ther-
light of the increasing prevalence of severe obesity, this
apies. The four articles presented in this issue of the
Journal highlight the growing importance of surgical
RDs are accustomed to working in a team environment
therapies in the care of patients with obesity and the role
to provide care for patients with various disorders, in-
cluding obesity. In fact, team practice for the treatment of
Current bariatric surgical techniques include the two
obesity has become an established model of care. Hospital
most common procedures, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
nutrition teams were initially established in the 1970s,
(RYGB) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding
shortly after the introduction of new technology for the
(LAGB), and several less common procedures, including
invasive administration of specialized parenteral and en-
laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and biliopancre-
teral nutritional products. Typically comprised of an at-
atic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD-DS). Potential
tending physician, RD, registered nurse, and pharmacist,
these teams were established to provide safe delivery of
optimal nutritional support while minimizing complica-
R. F. Kushner is a professor of medicine, Division of
tions. The team-oriented, multidisciplinary approach to
General Medicine, and L. M. Neff is an assistant profes-
patient care was subsequently applied to the care of pa-
sor of medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Department
tients with diabetes, as exemplified in two landmark di-
of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of
abetes studies: the Diabetes Control and Complications
Trial and the Diabetes Prevention Program In-
Address correspondence to: Robert F. Kushner, MD,
terdisciplinary teams are also an important component of
750 N Lake Shore Dr, Rubloff 9-976, Chicago, IL 60611.
the chronic care model It is with this perspective
that the team approach to obesity care has evolved
Manuscript accepted: December 15, 2009.
In 1991, the National Institutes of Health consensus re-
Copyright 2010 by the American Dietetic
port on Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity rec-
ommended multidisciplinary teams with medical, surgi-
cal, psychiatric, and nutritional expertise
In the articles by Kulick and colleagues and Snyder-
Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION
2010 by the American Dietetic Association
going an RYGB procedure? Are there differences among
the 47 patients who were successful (lost Ն50% excess
body weight) compared with those patients who lost less
weight? By assessing the subjects at baseline and at last
visit, the authors made some important observations:
eating behavior and psychological state did not improve
significantly during follow-up. Successful and unsuccess-
ful patients experienced similar rates of problematic eat-
ing behavior, depression, and anxiety. Patients who re-
ported higher scores on ineffectiveness and social
LAGBϭlaparoscopic adjustable gastric banding.
insecurity scales on the Eating Disorder Inventory II
instrument at baseline were more often successful than
dBPD-DSϭbiliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch.
were the others. The existing literature on psychological
eMacronutrient malabsorption does not occur with standard RYGB but may occur with
outcomes among patients who have bariatric surgery
generally describe significant improvements in psychos-
ocial functioning, although negative psychological effects
Figure. Potential mechanisms of action of four bariatric procedures
have been reported As stated by Kruseman and
colleagues “The findings of this study reinforce the
importance of interdisciplinary care for patients who un-
Marlow and colleagues the authors review the essen-
tial role for RDs in the preoperative and postoperative
RDs and medical nutrition therapy are essential com-
care of bariatric surgery patients. The practice skills of
ponents of any treatment approach used in obesity care.
assessment and counseling along with knowledge of nu-
The four articles in this issue of the Journal that address
trient malabsorption and dietary plans specific to the
bariatric surgery provide important background informa-
bariatric surgery procedures are needed by RDs working
tion for dietitians who work in this field.
in this field. These articles provide an up-to-date and
timely overview of dietary management for the RYGB
STATEMENT OF POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
and LSG procedures, respectively. Bariatric surgery
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the
teams typically include an obesity medicine physician,
bariatric surgeon, clinical psychologist, RD, and exercise
specialist, and are intended to provide best practices in
patient care and improved clinical outcomes. Optimiza-
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Goat Parasites and their Control Anne Zajac, DVM, PhD Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Infection with parasites, especially those of the gastrointestinal tract, continues to be an importantproblem faced by goat owners. The most important of the intestinal parasites are the worms andthe coccidia. Effective control of these 2 groups of parasite will make a signifi
Journal of Clinical Neuroscience (2003) 10(3), 338–339ª 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/S0967-5868(03)00010-9Treatment of painful peripheral neuroma by vein implantationR.J. Mobbs BSc(MED) MB BS, M. Vonau MB BS FRACS, P. Blum MB BS FRACSDepartment of Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurological Sciences, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, AustraliaSummary Painful n