Background: While there is increasing demand for rapid weight loss using Very Low Calorie Diets (VLCDs) before non-bariatric surgery for adults with overweight or obesity, patient well-being and needs in the postoperative, post-VLCD clinic period remain largely unknown. This study aimed to explore patients’ post-intervention experiences, needs, desires, and preferences for ongoing support.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted from February to April 2026 with adults who attended the Logan Hospital VLCD clinic before non-bariatric elective surgery, attended ≥2 dietitian appointments, commenced VLCD treatment and were ≥4 weeks post-discharge or post-surgery. An inductive approach containing deductive elements was used to explore peri-and post-intervention experiences, access to support, needs, desire and preferences for follow-up care. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse interviews.
Results: Nine participants (78% female, 56% planned for knee surgery) completed interviews lasting 14-54 minutes. Four major themes emerged: 1) Preference for post-VLCD clinic services, 2) Barriers and enablers to maintain health and nutrition goals, 3) Improvements in behaviour and health, and 4) Positive VLCD clinic experience. All participants expressed interest in dietitian follow-up (n=9/9). Participants also described preferences for different follow-up formats, including online communication with a dietitian, online communication with other patients, group sessions and practical resources.
Conclusion: Patients valued the VLCD clinic and described positive changes following pre-operative VLCD treatment, but many also expressed a desire for structured support after discharge. Structured follow-up services, including ongoing dietitian contact, peer-to-peer communication platforms, and practical resources may help support behavioural adherence and long-term weight maintenance after VLCD clinic discharge. These findings will be utilised to develop post-VLCD services at the research site and potentially further abroad. Future research should evaluate patient preferences across larger samples and test whether post-discharge support improves clinical and patient-reported outcomes.