Obesity is a disease that causes serious health problems, which may unfortunately cause a shorter life expectancy. The World Health Organization (WHO) calculates Body Mass Index (BMI) to define and classify obesity. BMI is calculated by dividing the body weight by the square meter of the height of the individual. Individuals with a BMI level higher than 30 are considered obese.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing all over the world. Individuals with a BMI value of higher than 30 kg/m2 should be treated. Obesity should be managed with conservative methods initially; including diet, sports, acupuncture, and some medications. Although potential endocrinologic causes of obesity account for less than 1% of all causes in obese patients, they should be investigated in the first place.

Obesity surgery candidates are the individuals with morbid obesity, who have been unable to lose weight after adopting at least 2 diet programs or after dieting for 6 months, or they are morbidly obese individuals, who return their bodies to their previous weight after weight loss.

Obesity surgery is a term that covers a group of surgical methods applied to the digestive system to treat morbid obesity that can cause health problems and that cannot be resolved by nonsurgical methods including diet and exercise. According to international guidelines, obesity surgery is the most appropriate method for the treatment of a group of patients having the type of obesity called Morbid Obesity. Accordingly, the candidates of obesity surgery include individuals having a body mass index of 40 and higher or those having a BMI value of 35 with accompanying one or more comorbid diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea or other respiratory problems, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, lipid anomalies, and cardiac disorders. These patients should not be addicted to alcohol or drugs and should not have serious psychological disorders.