A total of 191 people had weight-loss surgery in HSE hospitals last year, to tackle severe obesity - an increase of 9 per cent from 2021.
They underwent bariatric procedures, which reduce hunger and restrict the amount of food you're able to eat and absorb. It's done when diet and exercise haven't worked or when you have serious health problems because of your weight.
Many Irish patients go abroad, to places like Turkey, to undergo the surgery. But according to figures released under the Freedom of Information Act, 48 men and 143 women had bariatric procedures in HSE hospitals in 2022, costing the State almost €1.8 million.
