Francette Dietitian

Francette Dietitian Francette Bekker is a bariatric dietitian in Pretoria with a special interest in pregnancy after weight-loss surgery. Welcome to my page!

She is certified by the Early Life Nutrition Alliance as a Fertility & Pregnancy Dietitian. Are you looking for a dietitian? Let's see if we are a good fit for each other. I am a South African Dietitian, based at the beautiful Zuid-Afrikaans hospital in the heart of Pretoria. If you live far or run a tight schedule, then an online appointment might be the best option for you. At the hospital I am part of the SAMMSS accredited bariatric surgery team of Dr Thinus Smit. Our team has a great, friendly vibe and we are dedicated and passionate about preparing patients for bariatrics surgery procedures in an ethical and responsible way. And once you've had your surgery, sit tight because we are still on this weight loss journey with you and will continue to support you after surgery. If you had surgery overseas, and you do not currently have a team to support your post-operative needs, reach out and let us support your medical, nutritional and psychological needs after surgery. If you are trying to fall pregnant, then you are also at the right place. I’m an Early Life Nutrition Alliance (ELNA) certified prenatal dietitian. I completed a certified international course with ELNA to assist with Fertility and Pregnancy Nutrition. Did you know that nutrition can make a significant difference in the preconception period? A fertility dietitian can make a difference by helping you boost your chances of falling pregnant. Nutrition can help optimise ovulation, egg quality and sperm health and also help treat Endometriosis and Adenomyosis regrowth, PCOS, recurrent implantation failure and recurrent miscarriages. I work with fertility clinics and gynaes to assist couples who are struggling to conceive with an individually tailored eating plan and give supplement advice based on their medical condition(s), blood results and lifestyle. I continue seeing women when they fall pregnant as it is such an important time to eat well - for mom and the health of the future baby. It is important for women with high-risk pregnancies - such as gestational diabetes, obesity hypertension, post bariatric surgery, multiple fetuses and previous miscarriages - to consult with a pregnancy dietitian. Get in touch for tailored advise and nutrition support.

Your bariatric multi-disciplinary team with Dr Thinus Smit takes great care to ensure you are ready & safe, before, duri...
23/01/2026

Your bariatric multi-disciplinary team with Dr Thinus Smit takes great care to ensure you are ready & safe, before, during & after surgery 🙌🏻

📍 Zuid Afrikaans Hospital, Pretoria
📧 bariatrics@prosurgholdings.com

🙌🏻 Starting the year with awesome news from Dr Thinus Smit and the Obesity Community FundBecome a member or become a spo...
12/01/2026

🙌🏻 Starting the year with awesome news from Dr Thinus Smit and the Obesity Community Fund
Become a member or become a sponsor because

More info on the website www.obesitycommunityfund.co.za

Team📍 Zuid-Afrikaans Hospital, Pretoria

VITAMIN B12 | Bariatric and gastric surgery can be lifesaving and life-changing.Long-term health after surgery is best s...
08/01/2026

VITAMIN B12 | Bariatric and gastric surgery can be lifesaving and life-changing.
Long-term health after surgery is best supported through ongoing follow-up, monitoring, and nutrition care.

After gastrectomy or bariatric procedures, vitamin B12 absorption changes because the body produces less intrinsic factor, a protein needed to absorb B12 from food. This is well understood and, with the right supplementation and monitoring, is very manageable.

Low vitamin B12 levels may sometimes be associated with fatigue, changes in concentration, or nerve symptoms and these are often reversible when identified early.

During pregnancy, vitamin B12 needs increase to support maternal wellbeing and the neurological development of the baby. With appropriate antenatal care and nutritional follow-up, healthy pregnancies after bariatric or gastric surgery are absolutely achievable.

Today, vitamin B12 can be effectively supplemented in ways that bypass the stomach, such as mouth sprays absorbed through the lining of the mouth, making long-term care simpler and more comfortable for many patients.

Vitamin B12 support works best when it is:
✔ individualised
✔ based on blood results
✔ reviewed regularly across life stages, including pregnancy

Surgery is the starting point.
Ongoing care is what helps patients thrive long-term.

👉 Book a consultation for personalised nutrition support.

https://my.practicebetter.io/ #/64d21750c002874e13057fb9/bookings

📍Zuid Afrikaans hospital, Pretoria
🌍 In Person and Online consults
📧 chatwith@francettedietitian.com

After bariatric surgery, micronutrient absorption is altered for life even years after surgery and even with a balanced ...
03/01/2026

After bariatric surgery, micronutrient absorption is altered for life even years after surgery and even with a balanced diet.

💊Do you still need daily supplements?
Yes. Lifelong.
Supplement needs are individualised, based on:
• your blood results
• your type of bariatric surgery

Common micronutrients at risk after bariatric surgery include iron, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, vitamin A, and thiamine (vitamin B1).

Now add pregnancy 🤰
Nutrient requirements increase to support both mom and baby while absorption challenges remain.

Inadequate micronutrient levels may increase risks for:
• maternal anaemia, fatigue, bone loss & neurological symptoms
• poor fetal growth, low iron stores, and effects on neurological and bone development of the baby

This is why pregnancy after bariatric surgery requires specialised nutrition care, regular blood monitoring, and tailored supplementation not standard prenatal nutrition advice.

It is specialist bariatric pregnancy care.

🤰 Planning a pregnancy or already pregnant after bariatric surgery?

👉 Book your consult
https://my.practicebetter.io/ #/64d21750c002874e13057fb9/bookings

📍Zuid Afrikaans hospital, Pretoria
🌍 In Person and Online consults
📧 chatwith@francettedietitian.com

No matter which health journey you are on in 2026 one thing remains constant:Nutrition is not an add-on.It is the founda...
01/01/2026

No matter which health journey you are on in 2026 one thing remains constant:

Nutrition is not an add-on.
It is the foundation.

🍒Sustainable weight loss requires more than willpower.
🥑GLP-1 medications work best when nutrition supports muscle, metabolism, and micronutrient needs.
🥕Bariatric surgery outcomes depend on lifelong nutritional care.
🥬Fertility and pregnancy outcomes are shaped long before conception and every day during pregnancy.

This year, let’s focus on evidence-based nutrition, realistic plans, and support that fits your life and medical history, not quick fixes.

✨ I’m looking forward to supporting you in 2026.

👉 Bookings now open https://my.practicebetter.io/ #/64d21750c002874e13057fb9/bookings

📍 Zuid Afrikaans Hospital, Pretoria
🌍 In-person & online consultations
📧 chatwith@francettedietitian.com

26/11/2025

INCREDIBLY PROUD of what happened 🏥 today. Thanks to the support of so many partners and sponsored funds the and the team performed live changing bariatric weight loss surgery on four patients today.

🌻This is Lindani. A beautiful soul who is excited about gaining back quality of life and being able to reach her goals and dreams. She learned about the OBESITY COMMUNITY FUND from a friend.

⁉️ Who will you tell about this amazing initiative?

For more info visit www.obesitycommunityfund.co.za

Unsure if you will qualify for surgery? Then reach out for an appointment:
📞 012 346 5639
📧 bariatrics@prosurgholdings.com

Whoop whoop 🙌🏻 Two sleeps until the first official funded list for the Obesity Community Fund with Dr Thinus Smit. On We...
24/11/2025

Whoop whoop 🙌🏻 Two sleeps until the first official funded list for the Obesity Community Fund with Dr Thinus Smit. On Wednesday four of our patients will be receiving life changing bariatric surgery at Zuid Afrikaans Hospital.
More info about financial support for bariatric surgery on www.obesitycommunityfund.co.za
Join the list or to become a sponsor.

MATCHING in BLACK with happy YELLOW earrings! Me and Dr Esther Mowat today 💛 With more space for consultation rooms we w...
24/11/2025

MATCHING in BLACK with happy YELLOW earrings! Me and Dr Esther Mowat today 💛 With more space for consultation rooms we will be seeing more of Dr Esther at Zuid Afrikaans Hospital. She is a crucial part of the Dr Thinus Smit bariatric multidisciplinary team with a passion for metabolic health.
If you need a bariatric GP in Pretoria get in touch
📞 012 346 5639
📧 bariatrics@prosurgholdings.com

Great summary of the new South African Obesity treatment guidelines by my work bestie Nicola Drabble - Bariatric Dietiti...
10/11/2025

Great summary of the new South African Obesity treatment guidelines by my work bestie Nicola Drabble - Bariatric Dietitian South Africa 🤓

A whole special publication in the SAMJ just for the treatment of obesity. 🙌🏻 What a milestone for SA! Amazing contribut...
05/11/2025

A whole special publication in the SAMJ just for the treatment of obesity. 🙌🏻 What a milestone for SA! Amazing contributions made by various experts in the field. Especially proud of our own team’s surgeon and visionary Dr Thinus Smit at The Obesity Heath Centre, Zuid Afrikaans Hospital for his contributions about Bariatric Surgery 1) Selection and pre-operative work up and 2) Surgical options and outcome. 🤓

https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/issue/view/149

Get your South African bariatric cookbook from Nutrition Kitchen this November at 20% discount!Suitable for pre- and pos...
02/11/2025

Get your South African bariatric cookbook from Nutrition Kitchen this November at 20% discount!
Suitable for pre- and post-op bariatric meals, GLP-1 meals and anyone following a balanced diet - low in fat, low in sugar with a focus on higher protein intake.
Hard copy R320 excl courier fee
Digital copy R240
Contact Bev Pretorius directly
📧temperedindulgence@gmail.com
📞 082 901 1289

Address

255 Bourke Street, Muckleneuk
Pretoria
0181

Opening Hours

Monday 08:30 - 16:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 13:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 13:00
Thursday 09:00 - 13:00
Friday 08:30 - 15:00

Website

http://www.francettedietitian.com/

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