NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND ITS DETERMINANTS AMONG ADULTS WITH A HISTORY OF BARIATRIC SURGERY IN QATAR

Abstract

Obesity is a critical health concern in Qatar and has led to high rates of bariatric surgical procedures. While the procedures can leave patients susceptible to long-lasting nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency and anemia. his study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of nutritional deficiencies among adults with a history of bariatric surgery in Qatar. Data from 1,873 adults (703 males and 1,170 females) who took part in the Qatar Biobank were subject to analysis. Analyses involving weight loss metrics were conducted on a subset of 1,697 participants with complete data. Nutritional markers were gauged through biochemical measures, and eating styles derived by factor analysis on the basis of consumption frequency. Associations were examined using logistic regression analysis. Average age among participants was 38.8 years (SD 10.6) and the mean absolute weight loss was 27.6 kg (SD 18.0). The rate of obesity remission (defined as a BMI below 25 kg/m²) was 13.2% (17.0% among males, 10.9% among females).Age showed an inverse relationship with the resolution of obesity. Iron deficiency prevalence was observed to be 38.6%, and anemia was detected in 29.7% of the cases, with significantly higher rates among women (55.4% among women versus 6.1% among men). Female sex and greater magnitude of weight loss were associated with iron deficiency and anemia. Among women, adherence to a traditional dietary pattern was also linked to higher odds of iron deficiency. Significant interaction between gender and weight loss was identified regarding anemia outcome: among women, increased weight loss implied increased anemia risk (adjusted OR: 1.61), but not among men. Use of iron supplements remained at 22.5%. However, supplement use was more common among anemic and iron-deficient women, with those in the higher quartiles of the Traditional dietary pattern expressing elevated odds versus Q1 (OR: 1.53). These findings demonstrate the potential benefit of culture-adapted and gender-specific monitoring and interventions to optimize long-term outcomes among individuals receiving bariatric surgery.