For many years, bariatric surgery was considered one of the most powerful medical treatments for severe obesity.
In these operations, doctors reduce the size of the stomach or change the digestive system to help patients lose weight and improve serious health problems linked to obesity, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Although these surgeries can be very effective, they are also major medical procedures that require recovery time, long-term lifestyle changes, and careful medical monitoring.
Now, a major shift is happening in how people manage obesity.
A new study from the United States shows that weight-loss medications known as GLP-1 drugs are rapidly replacing bariatric surgery for many patients. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Surgery.
Researchers examined health insurance data from 11.7 million anonymous patients who had obesity, overweight, or diabetes between 2022 and 2024.
The scientists found that the use of GLP-1 medications increased by an enormous 140.4% during that period. At the same time, bariatric surgery rates dropped by 34.1%.
The results highlight how dramatically obesity treatment is changing.
GLP-1 medications include drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide. These medicines became extremely popular after many patients experienced significant weight loss without needing surgery.
The drugs work by copying a natural hormone in the body called glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1.
Normally, this hormone is released by the gut after eating and helps control appetite and blood sugar levels.
GLP-1 medications increase feelings of fullness by slowing how quickly food leaves the stomach. As a result, people often feel satisfied after eating smaller amounts of food and remain full for longer periods.
The medications also help the pancreas release insulin when blood sugar rises. This makes them useful not only for weight loss but also for diabetes management.
Many patients using these medications also experience improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and overall metabolic health.
Because the drugs do not require surgery, many people see them as a less invasive and more convenient option.
Researchers analyzed insurance records from adults born before 2004 who had diagnoses related to obesity, overweight, or diabetes.
The team compared the number of GLP-1 prescriptions and bariatric surgeries during each quarter between early 2022 and late 2024.
The changes were dramatic.
Nearly one in 10 eligible patients chose GLP-1 medications for weight-loss treatment. In comparison, only about 0.4% underwent bariatric surgery.
The decline in surgeries was not gradual. It accelerated over time.
Bariatric surgery rates dropped by about 14% in 2023 and then fell even more sharply, by 23%, during 2024.
The researchers believe newer medications, especially tirzepatide, played a major role in increasing public interest in weight-loss injections.
Many patients are attracted to the possibility of losing weight without permanent changes to the digestive system.
The popularity of GLP-1 drugs has also been heavily influenced by social media, celebrity discussions, and widespread media coverage.
However, the researchers emphasized that obesity remains largely undertreated despite the rise in medications.
More than 90% of people in the study who had obesity or diabetes still received neither surgery nor GLP-1 medication.
This suggests that although treatment options are expanding, many patients still face barriers to care.
These barriers may include medication cost, insurance limitations, access to specialists, concerns about side effects, or difficulty maintaining long-term treatment.
While GLP-1 drugs can be highly effective, they are not perfect solutions.
Some patients experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or stomach discomfort. Others regain weight after stopping the medication.
Bariatric surgery, meanwhile, may still provide greater long-term weight loss for some people with severe obesity.
Doctors say surgery remains one of the most effective treatments available for certain patients, especially those with serious obesity-related health conditions.
The study did not compare which treatment works better long term. Instead, it focused on how treatment choices are rapidly changing.
Experts say the findings are important because healthcare systems may need to adjust to growing demand for obesity medications while also maintaining access to surgical care for patients who still need it.
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