Today, one in five British people are obese - almost four times as many as 25 years ago. Obesity rates are increasing in our children too, leading to obesity being described as the epidemic of the 21st Century. Latest figures from the Department of Health suggest that by 2010, 12 million adults and one million children will be obese.  

Diet and exercise are the best ways to lose weight but very few obese people manage to achieve sustained weight loss. Life-style changes involving increased activity and a healthier balanced diet may help keep weight off.

Drug treatment is available for selected people, via their General Practitioner, and has some success, but is not used long-term and can have side effects.

Weight loss surgery - also known as obesity surgery or bariatric surgery - is the only proven long term solution to morbid obesity.  But it is NOT a quick fix option and has lifelong implications that will affect all areas of your life.

The Weight Loss Surgery Clinic offers:

• treatment at an established private hospital in Bristol
• extensive follow up providing support, advice and medical care without time limit
• four types of surgery: gastric banding, gastric bypass, gastric baloon, and sleeve gastrectomy
• a patient support group in Bristol offering pre and post operative support
• apps professionally designed to support you through the weight loss process (see left)
• a surgical revision service for patients suffering complications of surgery from elsewhere
• follow-up clinics for patients who have had surgery elsewhere, if appropriate

In addition, the Weight Loss Surgery Clinic is working closely with the Children's Obesity Clinic at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children to provide appropriate surgical treatment of adolescent obesity. We are also actively involved in research on a range of projects relating to morbid obesity surgery.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is one way to determine whether a person is overweight. People are considered obese if they have a body mass index above 30. Those most at risk of developing obesity-related illnesses are termed morbidly obese and have a BMI of 40 or above (or 35 and above if they already have an obesity-related illness).

Click here to calculate your BMI.