In the month of January, people around the world make New Year's resolutions to improve their health. For some adults living with obesity, lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to treat the disease.

The World Health Organization reports that 1 in 8 people in the world were living with obesity in 2022. In parts of the Middle East, adult obesity rates are projected to reach nearly 40% by 2030, according to the World Obesity Federation.

Omar Ghanem, M.D., Mayo Clinic medical director for the Middle East and a metabolic surgeon and chair of Metabolic and Abdominal Wall Reconstructive Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says people should care for their health throughout the year. Yet, the start of a new year is a meaningful time for some people to reassess their health and learn about all available treatment options for obesity.

"Obesity is a complex disease, not a personal failure," Dr. Ghanem says. "Many people try diets, exercise programs and medications, but still struggle because obesity has many causes — psychological, metabolic, behavioral and genetic. Because it is a complex disease, it requires a comprehensive treatment. Metabolic surgery helps treat obesity in ways other treatments cannot."

Addressing obesity stigma

Despite its rising prevalence, obesity is often misunderstood. Many people living with obesity encounter stigma — including the false assumptions that weight is simply a matter of willpower or personal responsibility. Research shows that obesity is a chronic disease influenced by multiple factors outside an individual's control, and stigma can prevent people from seeking appropriate treatment.

Research published in The Lancet's eClinicalMedicine reports that weight stigma leads to avoidance of healthcare, delays in seeking medical care and reduced trust in providers — all of which can interfere with receiving appropriate, evidence-based treatment.

Metabolic surgery offers lifesaving benefits for patients with obesity

According to studies, metabolic surgery is an effective and durable therapy for severe obesity. Metabolic surgery typically results in 25%–30% total body weight loss that often is sustained for many years. Metabolic surgery supports weight loss, and it also can improve conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

"For many patients, surgery is the turning point that allows them to get their health back," Dr. Ghanem says. "Some patients no longer need diabetes or blood pressure medications immediately after surgery. It can be life-changing."

Beyond weight loss: Surgery can open doors to other lifesaving care

At Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ghanem and colleagues regularly treat patients with complex medical needs who require weight loss before they can safely undergo another operation, such as a heart or kidney transplant, joint replacement, or hernia repair.

"These are highly coordinated cases involving cardiologists, endocrinologists, anesthesiologists and transplant specialists," he says. "Multidisciplinary care allows patients to access treatments they were previously told were impossible."

Mayo Clinic also specializes in corrective bariatric surgeries for complications from procedures performed elsewhere, including hernias, ulcers, fistulas, malnutrition or weight regain.

A new era in obesity treatment

Dr. Ghanem says obesity treatment continues to evolve. A promising approach is the integration of anti-obesity medications with surgery.

"Combining medical and surgical therapies has tremendous potential — similar to how medications and surgery work together in cancer treatment," he says.

Mayo Clinic research has demonstrated that bariatric surgery provides long-term metabolic benefits, may reduce cancer risk and can even be performed at the same time as a liver transplant in select patients — improving long-term survival.

Mayo Clinic in the Middle East

Mayo Clinic is marking its five-year anniversary in Dubai, where regional staff assist patients with travel arrangements, medical record review, appointment coordination and language services at no cost. "Our goal is to ensure people across the Middle East can access world-class care when they need it," Dr. Ghanem says.