An interview with Marc Bessler, MD, Chief of the Division of Minimal Access/Bariatric Surgery and Director of the Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery.

Obesity is not a result of individuals making bad or unhealthy choices. It is about the kinds of food that are made available to people, the ways they are presented, and the difficulty of gaining a nuanced and personalized understanding of diet and nutrition.

Losing weight isn't as easy as reversing the lifestyle changes that made you gain it; genetics and socioeconomic context play a huge role. Weight loss surgery is not only medically-proven, it's life-saving, but none of this is straightforward.

Join us for a live, virtual question and answer session with the bariatric surgery team at Columbia’s Center for Metabolic & Weight Loss Surgery. Looking into bariatric surgery? Get info straight from the experts!

Obesity is a national epidemic, and it’s affecting our children at an alarming rate. Today, some 2 million teenagers suffer from severe obesity. And Dr. Jeffrey Zitsman, Director of the Center for Adolescent Bariatric Surgery, declares they are all candidates for weight loss surgery.

If you’re struggling with obesity, losing weight is a lifelong proposition. And it’s not something you can do alone.

Robot enhanced minimally invasive surgery is the latest advance in bariatric surgery. In the following Q&A, Dr. Abraham Krikhely explains what patients need to know about this new approach.

May address depression, prevent major health problems

A small number of patients who have weight loss surgery relapse years later. How much depends on the procedure they've originally had to address their obesity. These individuals may benefit from an additional procedure, called a revision surgery, to help them lose again and treat specific symptoms.