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Eating right and exercising before surgery can significantly reduce the risk of complications
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Pre-programs also resulted in hospitalization
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Exercise-based programs performed better than programs focused on nutrition
THURSDAY, April 30, 2026 (NewsDay News) — Eating right and exercising before surgery can significantly reduce the chance of complications, a new study suggests.
Researchers reported on April 29 that such advance care reduced patients’ postoperative complications by nearly half. Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
The researchers found that patients spent 11% less time in the hospital after their surgery if they took preventive measures.
“These findings support the value of preoperative programs in improving the health of patients, particularly those who are at high risk of complications or may benefit from additional support before surgery,” said the senior researcher. Dr. Justin Lee it is said in the news. He is assistant chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine.
Pre-rehabilitation is an emerging concept in medicine, with more hospitals offering exercise, nutrition and psychological support programs to prepare patients for surgery, the researchers said.
For the new study, researchers reviewed 23 previous clinical trials in which more than 2,100 patients participated in pre-treatment programs – 18 on exercise and five on nutrition.
Results showed that overall, the programs reduced postoperative complications by 48% and shortened hospital stays by 11%.
The researchers found that exercise programs were more effective.
The study found that patients who underwent exercise before exercise had 55% fewer complications, while nutritional programs did not reduce the risk of complications.
However, researchers found that nutrition programs were associated with a 14% shorter hospital stay compared to standard care.
“Both nutritional and exercise-based programs can improve recovery after surgery, but each may offer different benefits,” said the lead researcher. Catherine Cascavitaa UCLA medical student, said in a news release. “More research is needed to determine what type of program works best for individual patients and their specific surgeries.”
Cascavita said the type of surgery can affect how effective these programs are.
Exercise-based programs were used mostly in orthopedic surgery, while nutritional programs were mostly used in GI and cardiac surgery, Cascavita said.
Future studies should focus on making prenatal programs more accessible by standardizing protocols and reducing barriers such as cost and insurance coverage, the researchers said.
“We’re now figuring out how we can improve surgical outcomes before a patient is operated on,” Lee said.
More information
Massachusetts General Hospital has more information in advance.
Sources: American College of Surgeons, news release, April 29, 2026; Journal of the American College of SurgeonsApril 29, 2026
What does this mean for you?
If you are ready for surgery, your doctor may recommend a preventive program.
