Wellbeing > Obesity, Diet & Weight Loss > Weight Loss & Surgery
Weight Loss & Surgery
There is significant evidence that being overweight increases the rate of complications from surgery, makes some joints wear out more quickly and makes surgery technically more difficult.
There is significant evidence that being overweight has the following effects:
- Increases the rate of complications from surgery
- Makes some joints wear out more quickly (especially the knee, and especially in females)
- Makes surgery technically more difficult.
We therefore normally counsel our patients to consider weight loss as integral to their progress for joint problems in the lower limbs in particular.
When aiming for weight loss, exercise does not have a major part to play, but diet does.
Recommended Diets:
2. Mosley 8 week blood sugar diet
3. Mosley’s 5:2 diet - especially useful for men
4. OptiFast - for fast weight loss
It is very important to realise that men and women react differently to the same diet, and that some diets may favour men’s physiques more than women’s. As per point 3 above there is evidence, for instance, that Mosley’s 5:2 diet works better for men than women. Watch this space!
We encourage you to get down to a BMI of 40 or less before having major joint replacement surgery in particular.
We are happy to refer you to a dietician if required.
We do not normally recommend bariatric surgery except as a “last resort” i.e. if you have significant medical problems that make it impossible for you to lose weight.
