According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (ASMBS/IFSO), there were 160,609 gastric sleeve surgeries and 62,097 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedures in 2020.
The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines now say that the procedures are for anyone with a BMI of 35 or more "regardless of presence, absence, or severity of obesity-related conditions," and that they should be considered for people with a BMI 30-34.9 and metabolic disease (such as Type 2 diabetes), and in "appropriately selected children and adolescents."
Many people are hesitant to have weight-loss surgery, despite the fact that around 80% who lose significant weight by dieting regain more than half of what's lost within two years. On the other hand, with these surgeries around a third of patients regain some weight after 10 years.
The key to maintaining weight loss after surgery is to make lifestyle changes, including regularly doing resistance exercises; improving your food choices, amounts, and timing; and taking some vitamin supplements.
Another bonus is that the procedures have few complications in the month after surgery, according to a study in JAMA Network Open.
Other studies show that 90% of individuals who undergo either form of bariatric surgery achieve a long-term weight loss of at least 50% of their excess body weight.
Discuss the pros and cons of each surgery and having surgery versus taking GLP-1 and GIP weight-loss drugs (required for a lifetime) with your doctor.
And if you do have a surgical procedure, ask about bariatric multivitamins/minerals.