Weight-Loss Surgery About to Get More Popular

Bariatric surgery has the reputation of being a last-chance procedure for the obese, but that will likely change soon. Several new "incisionless" procedures in the works are expected to make weight-loss surgery a far more common option for even moderately overweight people, reports the Los Angeles Times. They mimic the results of more invasive surgeries that require hospital stays, but these new procedures can be done in an hour.

"I see surgery playing a bigger role," says a professor of nutrition and internal medical at UC Davis, "because the weight-loss drugs we have now are lousy." Several new procedures are now in human trials, and though many nutritionists balk at the idea of such a quick fix, they seem poised to gain in popularity. That's assuming the current cost of about $50,000 comes down closer to the $10,000 range, says one expert.
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