ASMBS: 2020 to 2024 Saw Drop in Number of Metabolic, Bariatric Surgeries

Follow Drugslib on

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, Senior Medical Editor, B. Pharm. Last updated on May 7, 2026.

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, May 7, 2026 -- The number of metabolic and bariatric surgery procedures in the United States dropped below 200,000 in 2024 for the first time since 2020, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, held from May 3 to 7 in San Antonio.

Rachel Ferguson, from Loyola University in Chicago, and colleagues used the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database to assess changes in the number of patients undergoing bariatric procedures between 2020 and 2024.

The researchers found that case volumes peaked in 2022 at 230,207 and decreased in subsequent years, with 177,297 cases performed in 2024 -- the lowest since 2020. Decreases were seen both for initial cases and revisions (Z = −14.3 and −8.6, respectively). There was an increase seen in the proportion of conversion procedures (from 8.93 percent in 2020 to 11.05 percent in 2024; Z = 20.6), with the most common conversion each year being sleeve gastrectomy (SG) to Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass (RYGB; from 39.8 percent of conversions in 2020 to 60.3 percent in 2024; Z = 39.6). SG decreased in frequency annually and went from representing 64.4 percent of surgeries in 2020 to 58.4 percent of procedures in 2024 (Z = −40). Across the study period, there was an overall increase in the proportion of non-SG/RYGB/lap-band procedures (6.6 to 8.6 percent; Z = 23).

"After years of steady growth, the number of metabolic and bariatric procedures in the U.S. is experiencing a decline amid persistently high obesity rates and a surge in the use of GLP-1 medications," lead author Tyler Cohn, M.D., also from Loyola University, said in a statement. "While we did not study causation, the concern is that many patients are selecting nonsurgical therapies for obesity without fully understanding all of their available options. Millions more are living with obesity and are not receiving treatment at all."

Press Release

More Information

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-05-08 02:39

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords