Dieting, exercise, and medication have long been regarded as the conventional methods to achieve weight loss. Often these efforts are successful in the short term. However for people who are morbidly obese, the results rarely last. For many, this can translate into what is called "yo-yo syndrome," where patients continually gain and lose weight with the possibility of serious health and psychological consequences.

Recent research reveals that conventional methods of weight loss generally fail to produce permanent weight loss. Several studies have shown that patients on diets, exercise programs, or medication are able to lose approximately 10% of their body weight but tend to regain two-thirds of it within one year, and almost all of it within five years*. Another study found that less than 5% of patients in weight loss programs were able to maintain their reduced weight after five years**.

People who are clinically obese may wish to consider surgical weight-control solutions when non-surgical treatments have failed.

*American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) / American College of Endocrinology. (ACE) 1998. Statement on the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Obesity (1998 Revision) AACE/ACE Obesity Task Force. Endocr Pract 4,5: 297-330.

** Kramer FM et al. 1989. Long-term follow-up of behavioral treatment for obesity: patterns of weight regain among men and women. Int J Obes 13:123-136.

#Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). National Health Survey: Summary of results. Canberra, Australia, ABS, 2009.