Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate how postoperative distal gastrectomy patients evaluate and control their safe food intake volume on their own after discharge, based on their self evaluation and control of their own nutritional status in the hospital.
The subjects were 29 patients who recorded their own food intake volume （increases in weight after the meal）, epigastric feeling, and dumping syndromes. This postoperative observation period was three months. During this period, the subjects recorded the amount of their daily activities using a LifecorderEX. Body weight （BW） and arm muscle circumference were used for self-evaluation of their nutritional state.
We found that subjects adjusted their food intake volume on their own from the transition in their intake volume and the number of meals. Subject's ingestion volume increased gradually. This improved from 43% to 93.8% by the time （13th week） they left the hospital. In addition, their daily activities were increased. After discharge, BW was maintained at 93.6% of the normal, and their arm circumference was 94.6% , virtually the same as at discharge.
Therefore, although the subject's activities increased after discharge, they maintained their nutritional state. We considered this to be the result of their self evaluation and control their food intake volume.
