NYU Study Finds Bariatric Surgery Cuts 25.7% of Body Weight, 5 Times GLP-1 Drugs

7 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · May 27

NYU researchers matched bariatric surgery patients with people taking semaglutide or tirzepatide and found surgery patients lost 25.7% of body weight over two years, versus 5.3% for GLP-1 users.
The gap partly reflected real-world adherence: the study said up to 70% of GLP-1 patients may stop treatment within a year, pulling results well below the 15% to 21% weight loss seen in clinical trials.
Shorter-term comparisons also favored sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass, and the study linked surgery to better blood-sugar control, though researchers said GLP-1 drugs still delivered meaningful benefits.
The findings were presented at the 2025 ASMBS meeting, where researchers and surgeons said the results highlight a trade-off between more durable but invasive surgery and more popular drugs that many patients do not sustain.

With GLP-1 drugs costing thousands annually, is surgery now the more affordable path to long-term weight loss?

GLP-1s offer a non-invasive option, but is surgery the only way to achieve a permanent metabolic reset?

While wealthy nations debate drugs versus surgery, why are both options out of reach for most of the world?