Increased Resting Energy Expenditure/Body Weight and Decreased Respiratory Quotient Correlate with Satisfactory Weight Loss After Sleeve Gastrectomy: a 6-Month Follow-Up

Although bariatric surgery can achieve sustained weight loss, there are major differences in the magnitude of weight change post-operatively. Reduced resting energy expenditure (REE) plays an important role in unsatisfactory weight loss effect by contributing to positive energy balance. To identify pre- and post-surgical predictors related to satisfactory percent of total weight loss (%TWL) in Chinese individuals with obesity after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 97 ethnic Chinese with mean body mass index (BMI) of 37.2 kg/m2, focusing on body composition, anthropometric and metabolic energy expenditure parameters, and %TWL before and 6 months after LSG. Patients were divided post-operatively into those with or without satisfactory %TWL (%TWL ≥ 20%). Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors. Satisfactory %TWL was achieved in 53 (54.6%) patients 6 months after surgery. The univariate analysis of post-operative variables showed that patients with satisfactory %TWL had significantly higher resting energy expenditure/body weight (REE/BW) and lower respiratory quotient (RQ) than those who did not (P < 0.001). Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis indicated that REE/BW and RQ were closely associated with satisfactory %TWL (P = 0.004, P = 0.023, respectively). %TWL was positively correlated with changes in BMI, percent of fat-free mass (FFM%), REE/BW, and RQ. Higher REE/BW and lower RQ resulting from LSG correlated with satisfactory %TWL in Chinese patients with obesity. The maintenance of FFM might be an important factor linking %TWL and REE/BW.