Getting to Know Bariatric-Metabolic Surgery That Can Be a Solution to Overcome Obesity

JAKARTA - Obesity or overweight is now not only seen as a lifestyle problem, but also a chronic disease that can trigger various serious complications, ranging from diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, sleep disorders, to reduced quality of life.

Therefore, obesity must be addressed so that the quality of life can be maintained properly. One way to handle it is bariatric-metabolic surgery.

Bariatric-metabolic surgery is a surgical procedure on the digestive tract, which aims to help weight loss, as well as improve metabolic disorders in the body, such as diabetes and hypertension.

Compared to conservative methods, such as diet, exercise, and drugs, bariatric-metabolic surgery is considered to provide more effective long-term results in cases of severe obesity.

"This bariatric-metabolic surgery is an action to restore normal functions or reduce comorbidities. So, this is not for cosmetics. The main effect is to eliminate comorbidities," said Specialist Surgeon Subspecialist Digestive Surgery (Consultant), Dr. Errawan Wiradisuria, Sp.B, Subsp. BD(K), M.Kes, at the media gathering of Premier Bintaro Hospital, written Saturday, May 23, 2026.

Some of the main benefits of bariatric surgery range from significant and long-lasting weight loss, improvement in patient quality of life, reduction in the risk of associated or comorbid diseases, to improvement in diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

The patients who can undergo surgery are those with a BMI above 35, or a BMI above 30 with comorbidities that are high-risk related to obesity.

Not only that, patients must also have a long-term commitment to undergo healthy lifestyle changes and long-term health control.

This is because after surgery there is a change in the digestive tract, which can affect the amount of food consumed daily.

"After the operation is completed, the meal must be gradual. As freely as 3-4 spoons, the meal must be regular. Communication with nutritionists must be intense, especially for anything that is about to eat food that is questionable," he said.

Thus, in addition to surgical procedures, the success of the therapy is also greatly influenced by patient compliance with the diet after surgery, vitamin consumption, regular exercise, to a comprehensive change in a healthy lifestyle.