METABOLIC & BARIATRIC SCIENCES

Special Edition   |   October 16, 2026

A special edition: an editorial from the Production Editor on a new name for this publication.

Editorial

John D. Scott, MD, FACS | Production Editor and Founder | Editorial

A patient with obesity does not arrive in our office as a surgical problem or a medication problem. That patient arrives with a chronic disease, a treatment history, and expectations that may differ considerably from those of the next person we see. Our responsibility is to understand those differences and offer care that fits.

With that responsibility in mind, the editors have decided to rename the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Digest to the Metabolic and Bariatric Sciences Digest, or MBS Digest as before. The new name reflects the breadth of our readers and the knowledge they need to care for people living with obesity.

Obesity exists across a spectrum of severity, metabolic consequences, functional limitations, and individual circumstances. Treatment spans a spectrum as well. Nutritional therapy, physical activity, behavioral care, medications, endoscopic interventions, and metabolic and bariatric surgery all belong in the discussion. Their appropriate use depends on the patient, the evidence, and the goals of treatment. Patients may need several approaches together or different approaches over time.

Response varies, too. A treatment that produces substantial benefit for one patient may offer less benefit, unacceptable adverse effects, or an unsustainable burden for another. Weight loss alone cannot capture every meaningful outcome. We must also consider metabolic health, nutritional status, physical function, quality of life, and the durability of improvement. Recurrence or an incomplete response should prompt reassessment, rather than a judgment about the patient's commitment.

This diversity requires obesity specialists to remain informed beyond the boundaries of their own practice. A surgeon needs current knowledge of medical therapies, including their indications, limitations, and safety concerns. An obesity medicine specialist needs to understand surgical and endoscopic options, recognize when referral may benefit a patient, and participate in ongoing care. Neither can afford to view the other discipline as a last resort or a competing service.

Our audience also includes trainees, dietitians, behavioral health professionals, nurses, researchers, and patients seeking a better understanding of their care. We want readers to recognize that this digest includes them. The word sciences gives us room to examine the evidence wherever it can improve obesity treatment, while preserving the clinical focus that brought our readers here.

Surgery remains central to that mission. Broadening our name does not diminish its importance. It places surgery within the full body of knowledge that supports responsible obesity care. We will continue to examine surgical outcomes and innovation alongside medical advances, treatment safety, and the practical barriers that prevent patients from receiving appropriate care.

Our editorial responsibility is to help readers distinguish promising findings from established benefit, recognize uncertainty, and apply new information thoughtfully. The newest treatment is not automatically the best choice for every patient. Evidence deserves scrutiny regardless of which specialty delivers the intervention.

The Metabolic and Bariatric Sciences Digest will bring that same standard to all modalities of care. We want every obesity specialist, whether trained in surgery or obesity medicine, to have the information needed for an informed conversation with the patient in front of them. Our new name reflects that shared responsibility.

Closing the gaps in knowledge...

Production Editor John D. Scott MD FACS | [email protected]

MBS Digest | October 9, 2026 | Special Edition

For educational purposes only.