The Role of Follow Up in Long-Term Weight Management

Weight loss treatment — surgical or medical — requires ongoing care and professional support.

Your care is led by Dr Suzanne Ma, who provides surgical and medical weight loss treatment. Ongoing follow-up appointments are an important part of monitoring progress and supporting long-term outcomes.

Patients may also work with members of the multidisciplinary team, including accredited practising Dietitians, Jacinta King or Gemma Campbell, and Psychologist, Pippa Wood, depending on individual needs.

Regular follow-up appointments may help:

·         Monitor weight progress

·         Assess nutritional status

·         Identify potential complications early

·         Adjust treatment plans as needed

·         Long-term engagement with your healthcare team supports safer, more sustainable outcomes.

Emerging evidence supports the importance of structured follow-up after bariatric surgery. A 2024 study by Hassan et al. found that patients who attended three or more dietitian follow-up appointments within the first year after surgery achieved greater total body weight loss compared with those who had minimal follow-up. In addition, patients engaged in regular dietetic review were more likely to maintain appropriate levels of key micronutrients, including vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

These findings reinforce the role of ongoing multidisciplinary care after bariatric surgery, not only in supporting weight-related outcomes but also in protecting long-term nutritional health.

Consistent follow-up remains an essential component of comprehensive, patient centred metabolic care.

References

Hassan M, Barajas-Gamboa JS, Kanwar O, et al. The role of dietitian follow-ups on nutritional outcomes post-bariatric surgery. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. 2024;20(4):407–412.