Structured Perioperative Nursing Education and Short-Term Outcomes After Metabolic Bariatric Surgery: A Nonrandomized, Temporally Allocated Controlled Study

Background/Objectives: Structured perioperative education may support self-management after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), but evidence from resource-variable settings remains limited. This study evaluated the association between a structured, booklet-supported nursing education program and short-term postoperative outcomes, with eating behavior as the principal outcome. Methods: The study was retrospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 12 October 2026 (NCT07872605; protocol record number NursEdu-MBS-2024). In this single-center, nonrandomized, temporally allocated controlled study, 86 adults undergoing MBS were enrolled sequentially during a usual-care period (n = 43) and an intervention period (n = 43). The intervention comprised two nurse-led perioperative sessions supported by an illustrated Arabic booklet and follow-up reinforcement. Eating behavior was assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months, with the principal between-group analysis performed at 6 months; other reported outcomes were assessed at their prespecified follow-up points. Eating behavior was measured using a locally adapted 18-item Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire; secondary outcomes included knowledge, anthropometric change, quality of life, and recorded postoperative symptoms/events. Results: At 6 months, the intervention group had a lower adjusted total eating-behavior score than controls (adjusted mean difference, −8.78; 95% CI, −10.74 to −6.83), with lower uncontrolled-eating and cognitive-restraint scores; emotional eating did not differ significantly after adjustment (−0.37; 95% CI, −1.03 to 0.29). Knowledge at 1 month was higher in the intervention group (18.02 ± 4.61 vs. 5.12 ± 4.49; p < 0.001). At 6 months, percentage total weight loss was 29.2 ± 5.2% versus 22.6 ± 3.1%, respectively. Conclusions: Structured perioperative nursing education was associated with greater short-term knowledge and differences in selected eating-behavior domains after MBS. Secondary findings were favorable but should be interpreted cautiously because allocation was nonconcurrent and the eating-behavior instrument was locally adapted. Randomized, concurrently controlled studies using validated outcome measures are needed.