Along with the epidemic of obesity in the US has come an increasing patient demand for weight-loss surgery, proven to be an effective treatment for excessive weight. Increasing evidence suggests it might also be effective therapy for metabolic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. This edition of Physician Focus will examine such questions as: Who is eligible for this treatment? What is required of patients? What are the different kinds of weight-loss surgery? What are the risks of this kind of surgery? And how successful is it as a treatment for obesity?