Obesity treatment options: medication, surgery, and long-term care

Treatment pathways

• Lifestyle and behavioural care. Nutrition, physical activity, sleep, behaviour change, and management of obesity-related conditions remain part of long-term treatment regardless of whether medication or surgery is used.
• Medical weight management. Prescription anti-obesity medication may include GLP-1 receptor agonists or combined GIP/GLP-1 treatments. These are prescribed and monitored by a physician. Benefits generally depend on continued treatment, and medication choice depends on the individual medical profile.
• Bariatric and metabolic surgery. Procedures such as sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass may be considered for eligible patients. Surgery can produce substantial and durable weight loss, but it is major treatment that requires pre-operative assessment, nutritional management, and long-term follow-up.
• Long-term follow-up. Obesity is a chronic condition. Medication and surgery both work best as part of a long-term plan that includes nutrition, metabolic monitoring, management of related conditions, and support for maintaining results.

Questions to consider before choosing a pathway

• What treatments have you already tried, and for how long?
• Are you currently using a GLP-1 or GIP/GLP-1 medication?
• Do you have type 2 diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, reflux, or other obesity-related conditions?
• How much ongoing treatment and follow-up can you realistically maintain after returning home?
• Are you looking for non-surgical treatment, or are you open to discussing surgery if clinically appropriate?

What Kordy can coordinate

Kordy can help organise your treatment history, current medications, metabolic conditions, and travel plans so that an appropriate Korean medical institution can review your case.