American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery
A nonprofit medical society focused on metabolic and bariatric surgery, obesity-related disease, education, research, and patient access.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is a United States nonprofit professional medical organization devoted to metabolic and bariatric surgery and to the prevention, treatment, and broader management of obesity and obesity-related diseases. The society brings together surgeons and a multidisciplinary range of healthcare professionals, including nurses, bariatricians, psychologists, dietitians, and other specialists involved in the care of people with obesity. The organization was established in 1983, with surgeon Edward Eaton Mason serving as its founding president. Mason is widely associated with the development of bariatric surgery and is often described as a pioneering figure in obesity surgery. The society was originally known as the American Society for Bariatric Surgery, or ASBS. On August 15, 2007, it adopted the name American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. The change reflected growing clinical evidence that these operations could affect metabolic disease, especially type 2 diabetes, in addition to their role in treating severe obesity. ASMBS describes its mission in terms of educating health professionals and the public about metabolic and bariatric surgery as a treatment option, improving the care of patients with obesity and related conditions, and encouraging investigation into new surgical advances. Its work combines professional education, scientific exchange, accreditation and quality-improvement activity, policy advocacy, and public information. The society also advocates for healthcare policies intended to improve access to high-quality obesity prevention and treatment. A central part of ASMBS activity is the organization of scientific and educational meetings. The society has held annual scientific meetings where clinicians and researchers present evidence and discuss surgical techniques, patient selection, outcomes, complications, and the relationship between metabolic surgery and diseases such as diabetes. In 2013, ASMBS joined with The Obesity Society to hold the first combined ObesityWeek meeting in Atlanta. The event brought together researchers and clinicians working across the full spectrum of obesity science and treatment. ASMBS has also participated in the development of professional standards for bariatric care. In 2006, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services established a national coverage policy for bariatric and metabolic surgery under which eligible procedures were to be performed at facilities meeting specified certification requirements. In 2012, ASMBS and the American College of Surgeons announced plans to combine their respective bariatric surgery accreditation programs. The resulting Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, commonly known as MBSAQIP, was intended to create a unified national standard for bariatric surgery centers and to link accreditation with quality improvement. The society supports specialist credentialing as well. Its Certified Bariatric Nurse program was established in June 2007, providing a testing-based credential for nurses who demonstrate competence in caring for patients with obesity and those undergoing bariatric procedures. Through these educational, accreditation, research, and advocacy functions, ASMBS operates primarily as a professional association and standards-setting body rather than as a commercial consumer brand. Its principal audiences are clinicians, researchers, healthcare institutions, policymakers, and patients seeking evidence-based information about metabolic and bariatric treatment.
History
The American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery was founded in 1983 as a professional organization for physicians and other specialists involved in bariatric surgery. Edward Eaton Mason, MD, served as its founding president and is recognized as an important pioneer in obesity surgery. The society initially operated under the name American Society for Bariatric Surgery, reflecting the field's primary focus on surgical treatment of severe obesity. As research developed, bariatric procedures increasingly came to be understood as interventions with effects extending beyond weight reduction. Clinical evidence linked surgery with improvements in metabolic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes. In response to this changing scientific understanding, the organization changed its name to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery on August 15, 2007. The revised name communicated a broader clinical scope and emphasized the metabolic consequences and benefits associated with these procedures. ASMBS developed a multidisciplinary membership base. In addition to surgeons, its community included nurses, bariatricians, psychologists, dietitians, and other professionals who contribute to the treatment of obesity and the care of surgical patients. The society's work consequently expanded beyond operative technique to include patient selection, perioperative care, long-term follow-up, nutrition, behavioral health, metabolic outcomes, and quality improvement. Education and scientific exchange became major organizational activities. ASMBS held annual scientific meetings addressing advances in metabolic and bariatric surgery and the wider medical management of obesity. In 2013, the society partnered with The Obesity Society to combine their respective annual meetings into ObesityWeek. The joint meeting brought together international clinicians and scientists to discuss obesity research, disease mechanisms, medical treatment, surgery, and patient outcomes. The society also became involved in the development of institutional standards and access policy. In 2006, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services established a national coverage policy for bariatric and metabolic surgery that tied coverage to performance at appropriately certified facilities. In 2012, ASMBS and the American College of Surgeons announced plans to consolidate their bariatric surgery accreditation programs. This work led to the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, or MBSAQIP, which was designed to establish a unified national accreditation and quality-improvement framework for bariatric surgery centers. Professional credentialing is another part of ASMBS's history. The Certified Bariatric Nurse program began in June 2007 and created a testing-based qualification for nurses caring for patients with obesity and those undergoing bariatric procedures. Across its activities, ASMBS has presented itself as an advocate for evidence-based treatment, improved outcomes, professional competency, and patient access. It continues to function as a nonprofit medical society serving the metabolic and bariatric surgery field and the broader healthcare community concerned with obesity-related disease.
- 2013
First joint ObesityWeek meeting
[1]ASMBS and The Obesity Society combined their annual meetings in Atlanta under the ObesityWeek name, creating a broad scientific and clinical obesity forum.
- 2012
Unified accreditation program announced
[1]ASMBS and the American College of Surgeons announced plans to combine their bariatric surgery accreditation programs into a single national framework.
- 2007
Certified Bariatric Nurse program established
[1]ASMBS established its Certified Bariatric Nurse program in June 2007 to assess specialist nursing competence through examination.
- 2007
Society adopts ASMBS name
[1]On August 15, 2007, the American Society for Bariatric Surgery changed its name to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery to reflect the recognized metabolic effects of surgery.
- 2006
CMS establishes national bariatric surgery coverage policy
[1]The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services established a national coverage policy for bariatric and metabolic surgery, with facility certification requirements for covered procedures.
- 1983
Organization established
[1]The society was established as a professional organization dedicated to bariatric surgery and obesity treatment. Edward Eaton Mason, MD, served as its founding president.
Products and positioning
ASMBS positions itself as a specialist medical society representing the multidisciplinary metabolic and bariatric surgery community. Its role combines education, scientific collaboration, quality standards, professional certification, policy advocacy, and public communication about obesity treatment.
Professional certification · 2007
Certified Bariatric Nurse (CBN) program
A specialist nursing certification program established in June 2007. The credential indicates that a nurse has met the program's testing requirements and demonstrated competence in caring for patients with obesity and patients undergoing metabolic or bariatric surgery.
Scientific and professional education
ASMBS Annual Scientific Meeting
ASMBS's recurring scientific and educational meeting for clinicians, researchers, and allied health professionals. The program addresses surgical techniques, metabolic outcomes, obesity-related disease, patient care, research findings, and quality improvement.
Accreditation and quality improvement · 2012
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program
A unified bariatric surgery accreditation and quality-improvement program developed by ASMBS and the American College of Surgeons. MBSAQIP was intended to provide a common national standard for participating bariatric surgery centers.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013ObesityWeek
United States · International scientific community
ASMBS partnered with The Obesity Society to combine their annual meetings into ObesityWeek. The Atlanta meeting brought together clinicians and scientists to exchange research and clinical knowledge across obesity prevention, treatment, metabolic disease, and surgery.
Outcome. The partnership created a joint scientific and educational forum covering the full spectrum of obesity research and care.
Brand decisions
2012
Create a unified bariatric surgery accreditation frameworkStrategyBackground
ASMBS and the American College of Surgeons each operated national bariatric surgery accreditation programs, creating an opportunity to establish one coordinated standard.
Action taken
The organizations announced plans to combine their accreditation programs into the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.
Aftermath
MBSAQIP became the unified accreditation and quality-improvement framework intended for bariatric surgery centers in the United States.
2007
Rename the organization as ASMBSStrategyBackground
Clinical evidence increasingly indicated that bariatric surgery could improve metabolic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes, in addition to reducing obesity and obesity-related health risks.
Action taken
The American Society for Bariatric Surgery changed its name to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery on August 15, 2007.
Aftermath
The new name broadened the society's stated clinical identity from weight-loss surgery to metabolic and bariatric surgery.
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