Food Tolerance in Patients Submitted to Gastric Bypass: The Importance of Using an Integrated and Interdisciplinary Approach

Under the restrictive component, patients undergoing gastric bypass may have food intolerance with or without complications.

This study used quantitative, analytical, observational methodology with patients submitted to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass without the placement of a ring at Hospital Universitário do Rio Grande do Norte in the city of Natal, Brazil between July 2005 and August 2010. Out of 176 patients monitored after surgery by the interdisciplinary team, 47 took part in the study. Two questionnaires were applied to participants: one elaborated by Suter et al. and previously validated for assessment of food tolerance and another to characterize schooling and socioeconomic status. Evaluation of food tolerance considered patient satisfaction with eating, most accepted food types, and frequency of vomiting and/or regurgitation. After application of the first questionnaire, a score was generated, characterizing food intolerance.

Of the 47 patients evaluated, 85.1% classified their degree of food satisfaction as good or excellent. Red meat was the most cited as being difficult to ingest (38.3%), representing a significant impact on overall tolerance level (P < 0.001); 48.9% of participants exhibited rare episodes of vomiting, which resulted in a mean food tolerance score of 23.02 (2.87 ± SD). Moreover, socioeconomic status showed a significant correlation with tolerance level (P = 0.032).

The degree of food tolerance observed in the study sample was better than that obtained in other investigations using similar methodology. The questionnaire proved to be useful in evaluating food quality and comparing postoperative results. Socioeconomic status was correlated with food tolerance level.