Bariatric surgery is an operational procedure or procedures which treat or correct obesity.  Bariatric surgery is concerned mostly with the regulation of the bodily intake of nutrients (sugars, fats, salts, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and so forth), and is not involved with the surgical removal of fat stores (such as through the procedure of liposuction).  Bariatric surgery can be seen as more of a preventative procedure than a correction - it prevents the body from absorbing and storing fat-building nutrients rather than correcting fatty deposits that are already there through removal.

There are several types of bariatric surgery, each with their own plus points.  One of the most well-known of the bariatric procedures is the banding of the stomach.  Known as Adjustable Gastric Banding surgery, it involves placing an inflatable band (usually made out of a silicon substance) around the top region of the stomach.  The simple theory behind such banding is that it forms a small 'pouch' at the top of the stomach which quickly fills with food when the patient is eating.  This gives a feeling of 'fullness' to the patient, and therefore cuts down on the amount of food the patient consumes.  Although this is a procedure which is often successful, it does carry the risk of starvation - if a patient has the band too tight they will not feel the need to eat at all.