Patients should receive dedicated preoperative counselling routinely.（Quality of evidence: Moderate ；Recommendation grade: Strong）

Patients should reach the anaesthetic room in as close a state to euvolaemia as possible and any preoperative fluid and electrolyte excesses or deficits should be corrected.（Quality of evidence: Moderate ；Recommendation grade: Strong）

Anaemia is common in patients presenting for colorectalsurgery and increases all cause morbidity. Attempts to correct it should be made prior to surgery. Newer preparations of intravenous iron have a low risk of adverse reactions and are more effective than oral iron at restoring haemoglobin concentrations in both iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease. （Quality of evidence: High ；Recommendation grade: Strong）Blood transfusion has long-term effects and should be avoided if possible.（Quality of evidence: High；Recommendation grade: Strong）

Preoperative routine nutritional assessment offers the opportunity to correct malnutrition and should be offered（Quality of evidence: Low ；Recommendation grade: Strong）. Preoperatively, patients at risk of malnutrition should receive nutritional treatment preferably using the oral route for a period of at least 7–10 days（Quality of evidence: Moderate ；Recommendation grade: Strong）.

Prehabilitation shows promising results in recovery of functional capacity and may reduce complications after colorectal surgery（Quality of evidence: Moderate ）. Patients who are less fit may be more likely to benefit. Further research is required before considering this as a mandatory item in an ERAS protocol（Quality of evidence: Low ）.（Recommendation grade: Weak）