Researchers found that bariatric surgery volumes in the U.S. fell below 200,000 procedures in 2024, marking the first time that has happened since 2020.
The study analyzed national data from accredited bariatric surgery centers between 2020 and 2024.
While overall surgeries declined, the mix of procedures changed, with gastric bypass accounting for a larger share of operations.
For years, bariatric surgery has been one of the most common treatments for severe obesity in the United States.
However, new research presented at the 2026 annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) suggests that fewer people are choosing these procedures than in recent years.
The study found that the number of metabolic and bariatric surgeries performed nationwide dropped significantly in 2024, ending a period of growth that had continued since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings provide a snapshot of how treatment patterns for obesity are changing and offer a closer look at the types of surgeries patients are receiving today.
“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 study author Tyler Cohn, M.D. said in a news release.
“While we did not study causation, the concern is that many patients are selecting non-surgical therapies for obesity without fully understanding all of their available options. Millions more are living with obesity and are not receiving treatment at all.”
How the researchers studied the trend
To examine national trends, researchers from Loyola University in Chicago reviewed data collected through the American College of Surgeons Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (ACS-MBSAQIP). This database includes reported outcomes from accredited bariatric surgery centers across the United States.
The team analyzed procedure volumes and surgery types performed between 2020 and 2024, allowing them to compare year-to-year changes and identify broader patterns over time. The analysis included several forms of bariatric surgery, such as sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, gastric banding, and other less common procedures.
What the results mean for consumers
The researchers found that 177,297 bariatric procedures were performed in 2024, down more than 20% from 2023 and the lowest annual total since 2020. Surgery volumes had previously peaked at more than 230,000 procedures in 2022 before beginning to decline.
The study also found shifts in the types of operations being performed. Sleeve gastrectomy remained the most common procedure, but its share of total surgeries fell from about 64% in 2020 to 58% in 2024.
Meanwhile, gastric bypass grew as a percentage of all bariatric surgeries, reaching its highest share during the five-year period studied. Researchers also noted an increase in revision or conversion procedures involving prior surgeries.
For consumers, the study highlights changing treatment patterns rather than providing answers about why those changes occurred. Instead, the findings offer an updated picture of how obesity treatment is evolving and underscore that multiple treatment options continue to be available for patients and their healthcare providers to consider.
“GLP-1s are starting a conversation in doctors’ offices that really wasn’t happening as much as it should have been,” Richard M. Peterson, M.D., MPH, FASMBS, said in the release.
“The high demand for these drugs and greater attention on the dangers of obesity has created an unprecedented opportunity to educate and engage patients on all proven treatments, not just medications, which is essential to effectively treating this chronic disease.”