The Surgical Management of Obesity.

In the United States, more than one-third of the population is obese. Currently, bariatric surgery is the best known treatment for obesity, and multiple meta-analyses have shown bariatric surgery to be more effective for treating obesity than diet and exercise or pharmacologic treatment. The modern era of bariatric surgery began in 2005, which is defined by a drastic increase in the use of laparoscopy. Bariatric surgery has the potential to improve obesity-related comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea. The effect of bariatric surgery on weight loss and comorbidities varies by the type of procedure.