Exercise, Nutrition-Based Prehabilitation Programs Beneficial for Surgical Patients

THURSDAY, May 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise and nutrition-based prehabilitation programs reduce length of stay (LOS) and complications in patients undergoing surgery, according to a study published online April 29 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.Catherine T. Cascavita, M.D., from the University of California Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the efficacy of exercise and nutrition-based prehabilitation on postoperative outcomes, including length of stay (LOS), complications, quality of life (QoL), pain, and mental health.A total of 23 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included, with 2,182 participants. The researchers found that compared with standard treatment, exercise or nutrition-based prehabilitation reduced complications (odds ratio, 0.52) and LOS (mean difference [MD], –0.44 days). When comparing interventions, a greater reduction in LOS was seen for nutrition-only versus exercise-only (MD, –1.09 versus –0.20 days). QoL was not reported in nutrition-only RCTs, but compared with standard treatment, exercise alone improved QoL measures (standardized MD, 0.94)."Both nutritional and exercise-based prehabilitation programs can improve recovery after surgery, but each may offer different benefits," Cascavita said in a statement. "More research is needed to determine which type of program works best for individual patients and their specific surgery."One author disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Exercise, Nutrition-Based Prehabilitation Programs Beneficial for Surgical Patients

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