Cross-category comparison
Wegovy vs Gastric Bypass
Different categories, normalised only where comparison is meaningful.
Wegovy injection
STEP 1: mean -14.9% at 68 weeks with 2.4 mg; 7.2 mg is now a licensed maintenance option for adults with obesity if needed
VS
Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
Long-term evidence is extensive; ASMBS reports strong durable weight loss and 2024 long-term data show substantial maintenance out to 10–20 years
Shared dimensions
| Dimension | Wegovy injection | Roux-en-Y gastric bypass |
|---|---|---|
| Relative weight-loss potential / intensity | 8/10 | 9/10 |
| Typical speed / access to effect | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Lower procedural / medical burden | 5/10 | 3/10 |
| Ease of stopping, reversing or changing route | 9/10 | 2/10 |
| Lower cost / easier access | 4/10 | 6/10 |
| Long-term maintenance simplicity | 6/10 | 4/10 |
| Evidence maturity / depth | 10/10 | 10/10 |
| Day-to-day or pathway convenience | 8/10 | 5/10 |
Category-specific detail
| Issue | Wegovy injection | Roux-en-Y gastric bypass |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomical change | Not applicable | Small stomach pouch connected to a lower segment of small intestine, bypassing part of the stomach and small bowel |
| Diabetes / metabolic | Not applicable | Very strong metabolic/diabetes evidence |
| Evidence anchor | STEP 1: mean -14.9% at 68 weeks with 2.4 mg; 7.2 mg is now a licensed maintenance option for adults with obesity if needed | Not applicable |
| How it works | GLP-1 receptor agonist | Not applicable |
| How taken | Weekly injection — Once weekly | Not applicable |
| Main trade-offs | Injection; GI effects; The new 7.2 mg option should not be compared using old 2.4 mg-only trial assumptions; NHS access remains pathway-limited | Not applicable |
| Maintenance | Long-term support/treatment matters; weight regain after stopping has been demonstrated | Not applicable |
| NHS context | NICE-recommended in specialist weight-management pathways; access depends on pathway | Established NHS bariatric procedure |
| Nutrition burden | Not applicable | Higher long-term micronutrient burden than sleeve; lifelong supplements and blood monitoring are important |
| Procedure type | Not applicable | Laparoscopic surgery |
| Reflux | Not applicable | Often considered favourable where significant reflux is a major issue |
| Reversible | Not applicable | Technically revisable but not treated as a simply reversible procedure |
| Revision | Not applicable | Revision is possible but complex and specialist |
| UK licence | UK weight management licence | Not applicable |
Do not add the scores together.
The bars are there to expose trade-offs. They are not a validated overall suitability index.
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