An Evidence-Based Review of Obesity and Bariatric Surgery

Obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States. In 1998, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute published guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obese adults. Despite these guidelines, health care providers are still doing a poor job of treating obesity. Millions of Americans meet the weight criteria for bariatric surgery, yet few actually undergo it. Many factors may contribute to this, including patient and provider attitudes regarding obesity and bariatric surgery, cost, and insurance coverage. Recently, numerous publications have described the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery.