SynthesisObesity surgery2016
Commercial Very Low Energy Meal Replacements for Preoperative Weight Loss in Obese Patients: a Systematic Review.
Synthesis in Obesity surgery, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 51 citations in OpenAlex.
- Preoperative low-energy diets for patients with a body mass index >30 kg/m2 undergoing non-bariatric surgery: pilot feasibility randomized clinical trial and a systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy data.The British journal of surgery · 2026Pooled it
- Elective Surgery in Adult Patients with Excess Weight: Can Preoperative Dietary Interventions Improve Surgical Outcomes? A Systematic Review.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) in the management of metabolic diseases: systematic review and consensus statement from the Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE).Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2019Pooled it
- The Efficacy of Energy-Restricted Diets in Achieving Preoperative Weight Loss for Bariatric Patients: a Systematic Review.Obesity surgery · 2018Pooled it
- Preoperative dietitian-led Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD) Clinic for adults living with obesity undergoing gynaecology, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hernia repair procedures: a pilot parallel randomised controlled trial.The British journal of nutrition · 2024Trial
- A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Partial Meal Replacement Preconception Weight Loss Program for Women with Overweight and Obesity.Nutrients · 2021Trial
- Preoperative weight loss program involving a 20-day very low-calorie diet for obesity before laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Asian journal of endoscopic surgery · 2019Trial
- Trial
- Dietitian-led very low-calorie diet for preoperative rehabilitation in patients with obesity awaiting non-bariatric elective laparoscopic surgery: A retrospective study.Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition · 2026Article
- Prescribing preoperative weight loss prior to major non-bariatric surgery for patients with elevated weight: a national provider survey (PREPARE provider survey).Frontiers in surgery · 2025Article
- Article
- Remote Delivery of Partial Meal Replacement for Weight Loss in People Awaiting Arthroplasty.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Article
- Developing and Piloting a Novel Ranking System to Assess Popular Dietary Patterns and Healthy Eating Principles.Nutrients · 2022Article
- The use of very low-calorie diets in subjects with obesity complicated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A scoping review.Obesity science & practice · 2022Article
- Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Bariatric Surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society Recommendations: A 2021 Update.World journal of surgery · 2022Review
- Nutritional Assessment and Preparation for Adult Bariatric Surgery Candidates: Clinical Practice.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2021Review
- Dietary Intakes and Cardiovascular Health of Healthy Adults in Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Whole-Food Plant-Based Lifestyle Program.Nutrients · 2019Article
- Management of Diabetes in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery.Current diabetes reports · 2019Review
- Dietary Management in the Immediate Preoperative Period of Bariatric Surgery: a National Overview : Bariatric Preoperative Diets.Obesity surgery · 2018Article
- 'The only chance of a normal weight life': A qualitative analysis of online forum discussions about bariatric surgery.PloS one · 2018Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThis systematic review assessed feasibility and effectiveness of preoperative meal replacements to improve surgical outcomes for obese patients.
methodsPRISMA guidelines were followed and electronic databases searched for articles between January 1990 and March 2015.
resultsFifteen studies (942 participants including 351 controls) were included, 13 studies (n = 750) in bariatric patients. Adverse effects and dropout rates were minimal. Ten out of 14 studies achieved 5-10 % total weight loss. Six of six studies reporting liver volume achieved 10 % reduction. Endpoints for perioperative risks and outcomes were too varied to support definitive risk benefit.
conclusionsCommercial meal replacements are feasible, have minimal side effects and facilitate weight loss and liver shrinkage in free-living obese patients awaiting elective surgery. A reduction in surgical risk is unclear.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.