Gastric band surgery is a common type of weight loss (bariatric) surgery for people who are very overweight (obese). It involves putting an adjustable band around the top part of your stomach, which means you can’t eat as much. This helps you to lose weight.
When you have a gastric band, it creates a small pouch at the top of your stomach above the band. When you eat, this part of the stomach fills up quickly, making you feel full earlier than normal and for longer. This reduces the amount you eat, helping you to lose weight.

Your surgeon can tighten or loosen the gastric band by injecting liquid into a tube connected to the band. This affects the rate at which food passes from the pouch into the lower part of your stomach. This will make sure that you steadily lose the right amount of weight.

Success of the operation depends on you sticking to a healthy lifestyle after the operation, including changing your eating habits and being more active. This includes being careful with high-calorie drinks, including alcohol, which would not be restricted by your gastric band.