Medical information: general information, not medical advice. Which procedure suits you is decided together with a bariatric team. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
What is weight loss surgery and how does it work?
Weight loss surgery, also called bariatric or metabolic surgery, makes the stomach smaller and in most operations also reroutes part of the small intestine. It works in two ways: you feel full after a few bites, and your gut hormones change so that hunger falls and, with type 2 diabetes, blood sugar often improves within days. In the Netherlands every operation is done as keyhole surgery under general anaesthesia, through four or five small incisions.
Dutch hospitals follow one national guideline from the Dutch Society for Surgery (NVvH) and report every operation to the national DATO register. That makes the Dutch system one of the most closely monitored in Europe: in 2024, 1.4 percent of patients nationally had a serious complication. Read how weight loss surgery works and the honest overview of risks and disadvantages.
Which types of weight loss surgery are offered in the Netherlands?
There are four standard operations. The gastric bypass is performed most often and is the first choice with type 2 diabetes or reflux. The gastric sleeve removes about three quarters of the stomach without touching the intestine. The mini gastric bypass uses a single connection, and the SADI is mainly a second step after a sleeve. The gastric band is no longer a standard option, and the gastric balloon is a temporary, non-surgical treatment that is rarely reimbursed. Compare them all on the page about the types of weight loss surgery.
Who qualifies for weight loss surgery?
You qualify with a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35 or higher with a weight-related condition such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea or high blood pressure. You must be 18 or older and be referred by your GP. With poorly controlled type 2 diabetes some centres already consider a BMI of 30 to 35. The screening team also looks at psychological wellbeing and motivation. Read the full eligibility criteria or check your BMI for weight loss surgery.
Is it covered by Dutch health insurance?
Yes. Bariatric surgery is part of the Dutch basic package (basispakket). With a valid indication and a referral you pay only your mandatory deductible (eigen risico), 385 euros in 2026. Check which centres your insurer has contracted: with a natura policy, a non-contracted centre is often only partly reimbursed. Without coverage, a self-pay pathway costs roughly 7,000 to 11,000 euros. Lifelong WLS vitamins, about 10 to 15 euros a month, are never covered. Details are on the cost and insurance page. Not eligible for surgery? See the other obesity treatment options.
How does the process work for expats?
The full treatment pathway takes months to prepare and years of follow-up. In short:
- Register with a GP. In the Netherlands the huisarts is the gatekeeper for hospital care; you cannot book bariatric surgery on insurance without a referral.
- Check your insurance. Make sure you have Dutch basic health insurance and look up the contracted bariatric centres.
- Attend an information session. Most centres start with a free (often online) session; ask whether an English version is available.
- Screening. An internist, psychologist and dietitian assess you. Blood tests check for deficiencies that are corrected before surgery.
- Surgery and aftercare. A hospital stay of one to a few days, then checks at 6, 12 and 18 months and yearly up to five years.
Language is the most common practical hurdle. Many Dutch doctors and nurses speak good English, but group sessions and written materials are often in Dutch. Ask the centre in advance what is available in English, and consider bringing a Dutch-speaking friend to key appointments.
Where can you have weight loss surgery? The 20 DATO-certified centres
All bariatric surgery in the Netherlands takes place in 20 centres that meet national volume and quality standards: at least two specialised surgeons and more than 200 procedures a year. The table lists every centre with its number of primary procedures in 2024, according to the DATO annual report. Tips for choosing are on the page about obesity clinics.
| Centre | Location | Primary procedures 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| WeightWorks Clinics ★ Best choice | Amersfoort | 1,598 |
| NOK Den Haag | Den Haag | 1,131 |
| Ziekenhuis Rijnstate | Arnhem | 1,010 |
| NOK Heerlen | Heerlen | 768 |
| Spaarne Gasthuis | Haarlem en Hoofddorp | 719 |
| Frisius Medisch Centrum | Leeuwarden | 670 |
| NOK Beverwijk | Beverwijk | 651 |
| St. Antonius Ziekenhuis | Utrecht en Nieuwegein | 616 |
| Catharina Ziekenhuis | Eindhoven | 571 |
| Ziekenhuisgroep Twente | Almelo en Hengelo | 477 |
| Bariatrisch Centrum Zuidwest Nederland | Bergen op Zoom | 476 |
| Franciscus Gasthuis & Vlietland | Rotterdam en Schiedam | 419 |
| Maasstad Ziekenhuis | Rotterdam | 404 |
| OLVG | Amsterdam | 391 |
| ISG Rivierenland | Tiel | 375 |
| Het Flevoziekenhuis | Almere | 303 |
| Albert Schweitzer Ziekenhuis | Dordrecht | 256 |
| Elisabeth-TweeSteden Ziekenhuis | Tilburg | 247 |
| Máxima MC | Veldhoven | 219 |
| NOK Terneuzen | Terneuzen | 203 |
Weight loss surgery by province
Find the centres and places in your region: North Holland, South Holland, North Brabant, Gelderland, Utrecht, Overijssel, Limburg, Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe, Flevoland, Zeeland. Or see the overview of all provinces.
What does life look like after surgery?
Recovery takes on average three to six weeks. You start with liquid food, move on to puréed and then solid food, and eat six small meals a day, never drinking in the half hour before and after a meal. You take a WLS multivitamin and calcium for life, and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen are no longer allowed. Most weight is lost in the first year; according to WeightWorks, more than 90 percent of bypass patients have lost at least half of their excess weight after ten years.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. With a BMI of 40, or 35 with a weight-related condition, and a referral from your GP, the four standard operations are covered by the basic package. In 2026 you pay only your mandatory deductible of 385 euros; lifelong vitamins are not covered.
Register with a Dutch GP (huisarts) and ask for a referral to a bariatric centre. Check which centres your insurer has contracted, and ask the centre whether information sessions and materials are available in English.
The gastric bypass, followed by the gastric sleeve. The mini gastric bypass and the SADI are also standard operations under the Dutch guideline; the gastric band has been abandoned as a standard option.
All centres report to the national DATO register. In 2024, 1.4 percent of patients nationally had a serious complication, and the share of patients whose care went entirely to plan was between 89 and 99 percent per centre.
It differs per centre and period. After a positive screening, some clinics can plan surgery within a few weeks; ask the centre for its current planning when you register.
No. Maagverkleining Info is an independent information website written by Gijs Bodenstaff, based on the Dutch surgical guideline, the DATO annual report and patient information from Dutch centres. It is not medical advice.
Sources
- DATO Annual Report 2024, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing (DICA)
- Richtlijn Chirurgische behandeling van obesitas, Dutch Society for Surgery (NVvH)
- Vitalys (Rijnstate), WeightWorks, Máxima MC, Ziekenhuis Rivierenland: patient information
- Gezondheidsmonitor 2024, RIVM, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and GGD
This guide is also available in Dutch, with pages for 150 Dutch towns. Author: Gijs Bodenstaff. Last reviewed: September 2026.