Bariatric surgery is a surgery done for weight loss purpose. A term is from a Greek word ‘baros’ meaning weight. It evolved out of ulcer/cancer operation involving the removal of part of the stomach or small intestine. By observing spontaneous   weight loss of the patients with such surgeries, the idea of surgery to treat morbid obesity came and then after certain modifications, this surgical option in treatment of morbid obesity established as a successful one.

Obesity is fast becoming a major cause of premature death in the developed world. At present one of the most effective therapeutic options available to obtain significant and sustained weight loss is bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is one of the most effective treatments for achieving long-term weight loss in morbidly obese patients. Bariatric surgery causes weight loss through substantial decline of hunger and increased satiety. Recently our understanding of neuroendocrine regulation of food intake and weight gain, especially regarding the role of gut hormones, has significantly increased. The changes in these hormones following bariatric surgery can partly explain the mechanism behind weight loss achieved through these procedures.