Bariatrics is a branch of medicine that deals specifically with problems of obesity, or being overweight. It is a very specialized field and only about 1% of the medical doctors in this country are qualified members of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. Since obesity is a disease, it makes sense to treat it as one. In 1985, the National Institutes of Health, at its Health Consensus Development Conference on the Health Implications of Obesity, stated that obesity is a specific disease entity that should be treated and monitored medically by a trained physician
Bariatric physicians, or bariatricians, are medical doctors who specialize in the treatment of overweight and obese patients and related medical conditions. These licensed physicians have received special training in Bariatric Medicine: the art and science of medical weight management. Bariatricians treat overweight and obese patients with a comprehensive program of diet and nutrition, exercise, behavioral therapy and, when necessary, the prescription of appetite suppressants and other appropriate medications. The word bariatric stems from the Greek root baro meaning heavy or large.