[Bariatric surgery: part of a systematic approach to obesity].

Bariatric surgery is becoming popular as treatment of morbid obesity. With this popularity there is a danger that it surpasses or even replaces conservative medical therapy. Instead, bariatric surgery should be part of a systematic approach in the treatment of obesity. There is a new Dutch practice guideline on the treatment of morbid obesity in which conservative treatment is hardly covered. There is little evidence of the highest level to support the recommendations in this guideline.