This systematic review investigated the effects of
weight-loss diets before elective surgery on preoperative
weight loss and postoperative outcomes in people with
obesity. Electronic databases were searched from inception to May 2021. Inclusion criteria were prospective cohort or randomised controlled studies that compared effects of
weight-loss diets to standard care on postoperative outcomes in adults with
obesity awaiting surgery. Participants with
cancer or undergoing
bariatric surgery were excluded. Data on preoperative weight change,
length of stay, postoperative complications and patient-reported outcome measures were extracted and synthesised in meta-analyses. One randomised controlled trial involving
total knee arthroplasty and two that investigated general surgery were eligible that included 173 participants overall. Each study compared
low-calorie diets using meal replacement formulas to usual care. There is very-low-quality evidence of a statistically significant difference favouring the intervention for preoperative
weight loss (mean difference [MD] -6.67 kg, 95% confidence interval [CI] -12.09 to -1.26 kg; p = 0.02) and low-quality evidence that preoperative
weight-loss diets do not reduce postoperative complications to 30 days (odds ratio [OR] 0.34, 95% CI 0.08-1.42; p = 0.14) or
length of stay (MD -3.72 h, 95% CI -10.76 to 3.32; p = 0.30). From the limited data that is of low quality,
weight loss diets before elective surgery do not reduce postoperative complications.