Obesity, weight loss and bariatric surgery

center dot Obesity is shaping up to be the major health care problem and one of the most frequent causes of preventable death in Western countries in the 21st century. center dot Bariatric surgery is the only current treatment that has been shown to achieve major and durable weight loss. center dot Major weight loss in the severely obese leads to total or partial control of a wide range of common and serious diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. center dot Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding is the most common type of obesity surgery performed in Australia. It is effective, relatively safe and minimally invasive. center dot The blocks to broader application of bariatric surgery should be identified and resolved.