Obesity is a worldwide pandemic as well-defined by World health organization. Its causes are multiple and complex and its complications are innumerable and profound with tangible impact on morbidity and mortality. There has been a rise in prevalence of obesity worldwide in the past decades, with notable rise in childhood obesity especially in middle- and low-income countries. So far, bariatric surgery has been the most effective long-term treatment of obesity as shown by many studies. Bariatric surgery has been through a long journey since its first conception around the middle of the past century. Many procedures have been innovated then fallen out of use due to complications or low benefit, while others have prevailed and became established in practice, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. Many other procedures are recently innovated and are currently being investigated. This is an overview of the obesity problem worldwide, with a review of the evolution of bariatric surgery till its current state today.

Bariatric Surgery; Obesity; Current State