There has been significant progress made in the past several years in the development of safer and more effective surgical procedures for treating obesity. However, all surgeries, including bariatric surgery, have risks, although mortality is very low. Depending on the specific weight loss surgery, there are side effects, and a bariatric surgeon is the best person to explain them because they vary depending on a person’s weight, age, and medical history. These factors and others interact in determining one’s specific risks for weight loss surgery.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference on weight loss surgery concluded that, in persons who are motivated and strongly desire substantial weight loss and have life-threatening obesity-related conditions, the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks. I think that what is most important for most people considering surgery is to think carefully about the benefits versus the risks and then decide whether surgery is right for them.