Abstract

Candidates for metabolic-bariatric surgery (MBS) have a unique nutritional status profile; clustering their macronutrients and micronutrients dietary intakes may present inter-individual differences. This study aimed to: (1) describe the macro- and micro- nutrient intake patterns in candidates for a MBS; and (2) assess the associations between these patterns and metabolic status (body fat %, HbA1c, lipid profile, granulocytes (GR), international normalised ratio, C- Reactive Proteins). Three-day dietary data from a mobile application and metabolic markers from a blood draw were collected 3 months pre-MBS from a study conducted in Quebec, Canada. Participants’ (N=30) mean age was 45.50 ± 9.83 years and BMI was 46.03 ± 7.61 kg/m2. Using the FASTCLUS procedure, a high sugar/high caloric diet (Cluster 1), high protein/high cholesterol diet (Cluster 2), and a low fiber/low saturated fat diet (Cluster 3) were observed. Analyses demonstrated significantly greater low-density lipoproteins (LDL) (5.28 ± 0.71 mmol/L) and GR (5.64 ± 0.21 109/L) in Cluster 1 relative to Clusters 2 (LDL: 2.38 ± 0.28 mmol/L; p= 0.0130), (GR: 4.71 ± 0.09 109/L; p= 0.003) and 3 (LDL: 1.76 ± 0.44 mmol/L; p = 0.0097), (GR: 5.01 ± 0.15 109/L; p= 0.015). Findings can inform variability in nutrient distribution in candidates for MBS. Future studies should compare these clusters to a control group or post-surgery dietary clusters and metabolic status.