Surgical Treatments for Obesity

The twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes threaten the health and well-being of millions of Americans. As these conditions rise in tandem, bariatric surgery has become an increasingly popular treatment option. In the United States alone, over 220,000 bariatric surgery procedures were performed in 2009. At present, bariatric surgery is the only therapy that produces mean long-term weight losses of 15% or more of initial weight. (Source: The Psychiatric Clinics of North America)