Clinical Nutrition Open Science · Published 2026-03-14 · DOI 10.1016/j.nutos.2026.100647
Background and aim: Malnutrition increases the risk of postoperative complications in gastrointestinal surgical patients, yet the diagnose is still underrecognized and the condition is undertreated. Patients should be encouraged to take a greater part in their over-all treatment, but little is known about their challenges and expectations of nutritional management when undergoing surgery. The aim of this study was to explore gastrointestinal patients' experience with nutritional management and to identify the barriers that limit their involvement in managing their nutritional status during their surgical pathway. Methods: Individual in-depth interviews with 15 gastrointestinal surgical patients were conducted one to four weeks after discharge. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation. Results: Gastrointestinal patients expressed confusion and concerns about food choices before and after surgery, to prevent stomach-problems. Information from healthcare professionals was considered reliable, even though inconsistent. The patients trusted their own dietary experiences, common nutritional knowledge, and used online sources to find experiences from patients undergoing similar procedures. However, concerns about illness dominated their attention and reduced their focus on nutritional management. Also, too general information and lack of dietary advice to cope with specific dietary problems were important factors that reduced their nutritional involvement. Conclusion: This study suggests that gastrointestinal surgical patients may experience uncertainty about which foods are safe to eat to prevent symptoms related to surgery. Furthermore, concerns about illness and insufficient dietary counselling, appeared to influence their ability to manage their dietary intake and thus nutritional status. These findings indicate a potential need for more individualized dietary counselling to better support patients during perioperative care.
Abstract from DOAJ. Public domain (CC0 1.0).
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