Why don't more doctors recommend weight loss surgery for obesity?

Weight loss surgery: Is like a last resort when life style changes are insufficient to reduce weight adequately. Often, those who qualify for this surgery are often poor surgical risks due to other conditions like diabetes, heart disease, lung disease. Counselling for motivation & weight loss programs are a safer route to follow. Life style changes are necessary even with surgery to keep weight off.

They don't know.: Many doctors that aren't themselves bariatric (weight loss) surgeons don't know that much about modern weight loss surgery and the very low mortality and good success possible. Patients with a body mass index of only 30 (obese) will benefit from weight loss surgery and improve their health and lifespan. This benefit is even greater for those with more weight to lose.

Lots of reasons: There are a lot of risks associated with this type of surgery then a drastically new form of eating not all patients could handle. You also have to meet strict requirements for the surgery and it is not always covered by insurance

Old data : Years ago there were two types of weight loss surgery: those that didn't work and those that killed you. Today surgery is far advanced but old issues are there.

Obesity surgery: Weight loss surgery is a complicated procedure. It is best done by board certified fellowship trained individuals at certified centers accredited by the american college of surgeons. Even at the best of centers, by the best of surgeons, there are still risks of surgical complications or noncompliant patients. The success overall is >90%, but those that fail are complicated patients to deal with.