How can dietitians help patients enter surgery stronger and recover faster? In this episode, Kristy-Lee Raso, Senior Colorectal Dietitian and research lead of the PREHAB-GI study, shares how prehab nutrition is transforming perioperative care. From nutrition optimisation to multidisciplinary teamwork, Kristy-Lee explores practical strategies and leadership opportunities for dietitians to drive better surgical outcomes for patients.
Hosted by Bec Sparrowhawk
Biography
Kristy-Lee Raso is a dietitian working in colorectal in Sydney, with nearly a decade of clinical experience. She served as the program and research lead for the PREHAB-GI study, a multimodal prehabilitation program for patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery, which forms the basis of her PhD on the implementation of prehabilitation in gastrointestinal surgical oncology. Her work focuses on optimising nutritional care to improve recovery and outcomes. Kristy-Lee represents dietetics on the Sydney Health Partners Perioperative Care Clinical Academic Group and contributes to national initiatives, including the NSW ACI Prehabilitation Working Party and the AGITG Lower GI Working Group.
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In this episode, we discuss:
- Key nutrition priorities to optimise surgical recovery​
- Insights on weight management and GLP-1 medications​
- The role of immunonutrition in patient preparation​
- How to tailor timelines within busy surgical pathways​
- Where dietitians can lead and make the biggest impact
Additional resources
Connect with Kristy-Lee via LinkedIn or on email at [email protected]
For further reading see below citations and references​
- Raso K.L., David M., Melton A., Tan S.Y.(C), & Vardy J.L. Bridging the Gap Between Prescription and Participation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Factors Influencing Adherence to Prehabilitation in Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery. Supportive Care in Cancer. (In press, 2025).​
- PREHAB GI Study​
- Preoperative weight loss interventions​
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