Background: Bariatric patients regularly present with insufficient dietary fibre intake. Adequate dietary fibre is essential for gut function and laxation. This review aims to assess the effect of bariatric surgery on dietary fibre intake and bowel habits.
Methods: This review was conducted using the methodology described by Kable et al. (Nurse Educ Today 8:878-886, 2012) for structured literature reviews.
Results: Post-surgery, patients consume inadequate dietary fibre when compared to recommendations for healthy populations. Food intolerance to fibre-rich foods, food restriction and discomfort with eating are possible causes. Bowel habit changes are likely to be procedure-specific. Only one study has assessed both dietary fibre intake and bowel habits.
Conclusion: Understanding changes in dietary fibre types and bowel habits will be useful to address future dietary interventions.
Keywords: Bariatric surgery; Bowel habits; Constipation; Diarrhoea; Dietary fibre.