Mixed
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) using full-thickness suturing produces significant, durable weight loss (approx. 13-15% total body weight loss at 12 months) and improves metabolic markers, serving as a safer, reversible alternative to bariatric surgery.
If you are looking for a weight loss solution that is less invasive than surgery but more effective than dieting alone, ESG is a viable option. It involves an endoscopic procedure to suture the stomach, creating a sleeve that slows digestion and increases fullness. Expect about 13-15% weight loss over a year, combined with lifestyle changes. It is safer than traditional surgery and reversible.
ESG has shown excellent short-term TBWL% in several meta-analyses that have reported 15.3–17.1% across 12–24 months follow-up... The recently published MERIT RCT involving 209 patients confirmed the safety and efficacy of ESG compared to lifestyle modification alone [9]. At 52 weeks, TBWL was 13.6% (SD 8.0) for ESG and 0.8% (SD 5.0) for control (p < 0.0001).
Why this rating
Supported by multiple RCTs (MERIT, MILEPOST, ESSENTIAL) and meta-analyses, though long-term data is still emerging.
Source
Metabolic and Bariatric Endoscopy: A Mini-Review
Benjamin Norton et al. · Life · 2023
DOI 10.3390/life13091905
Related findings · Mixed
- Bariatric surgery (VSG and RYGB) is the most effective and sustainable treatment for obesity, producing marked and sustained weight loss that non-surgical interventions cannot match.Strong
- Severely protein-deficient diets (2–3% energy) induce lean body mass loss and metabolic imbalance, whereas adequate protein intake (0.66 g/kg/d minimum) is a prerequisite for maintaining muscle, bone, and physiological function.Strong
- For patients with Class III obesity (BMI >39.9 kg/m2), metabolic bariatric surgery (MBS) is significantly more effective than any currently approved medication, with BilioPancreatic Diversion (BPD) showing the highest estimated weight loss.Strong
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