10 places in Overijssel are covered by this guide, together home to about 795,775 inhabitants at municipal level. Their residents are treated at 1 of the twenty DATO-certified centres in the Netherlands. Most places in this province fall under Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo. With a valid indication and a GP referral, weight loss surgery is covered by Dutch basic insurance; you pay only the €385 deductible in 2026.
- Number of places covered here: 10
- About 795,775 inhabitants (municipal figures)
- Centres (DATO) that serve these places: 1
- Largest serving centre by volume: Ziekenhuisgroep Twente
- Adults with obesity, indicative figure: at most around 124,000
Which DATO centres serve Overijssel?
Ziekenhuisgroep Twente
Ziekenhuisgroep Twente is located in Almelo and Hengelo and performed 477 primary procedures in 2024, number 10 of the twenty Dutch centres by volume. In this guide it is the centre for 10 places in Overijssel: Enschede, Zwolle, Deventer, Hengelo and 6 more. Whether this centre is covered in full depends on your insurer's contracts; check before your referral.
| Centre | Location | Primary procedures 2024 | Places from Overijssel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ziekenhuisgroep Twente | Almelo and Hengelo | 477 | 10 |
Places in Overijssel and their centre
All places from Overijssel in the guide appear in the table, together with municipal inhabitant numbers and the usual referral centre for residents. You will find a detailed page in Dutch for every place.
| Place (Dutch page) | Inhabitants | Centre |
|---|---|---|
| Enschede | 162,683 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Zwolle | 134,147 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Deventer | 105,111 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Hengelo | 84,045 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Almelo | 75,166 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Hardenberg | 64,116 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Kampen | 56,835 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Rijssen | 38,836 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Raalte | 38,623 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
| Nijverdal | 36,213 | Ziekenhuisgroep Twente |
Overijssel place by place
Enschede has about 162,683 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 25,400 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Enschede has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Enschede as well.
Zwolle has about 134,147 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 20,900 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Zwolle has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Zwolle as well.
Deventer has about 105,111 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 16,400 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Deventer has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Deventer as well.
Hengelo has about 84,045 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 13,100 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Hengelo has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Hengelo as well.
Almelo has about 75,166 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 11,700 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Almelo has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Almelo as well.
Hardenberg has about 64,116 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 10,000 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Hardenberg has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Hardenberg as well.
Kampen has about 56,835 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 8,900 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Kampen has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Kampen as well.
Rijssen has about 38,836 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 6,100 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Rijssen has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Rijssen as well.
Raalte has about 38,623 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 6,000 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Raalte has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Raalte as well.
Nijverdal has about 36,213 inhabitants at municipal level. Residents are usually referred to Ziekenhuisgroep Twente in Almelo and Hengelo; applying the national obesity rate gives an indicative upper limit of about 5,600 people with obesity. The Dutch page for Nijverdal has local details, and there are Dutch pages for the gastric sleeve, gastric bypass and mini bypass from Nijverdal as well.
Neighbouring provinces
If a centre in a neighbouring province is closer to your home or better suits your insurance, you can also look there. Overijssel borders Drenthe, Friesland, Flevoland, Gelderland. Each province page lists its centres and their 2024 volumes.
Aftercare from Overijssel
Follow-up after the operation lasts five years or longer. Vitalys, as an example, sees patients at 6, 12 and 18 months, then once a year until year five, and takes blood at every visit. A lot of centres mix appointments in person with online contact. If you live in Overijssel and are comparing centres, find out which check-ups can happen remotely and how to reach the centre outside office hours. After the aftercare period ends, you keep taking WLS vitamins for life and have a blood test every year, in most cases through your GP.
How many people in Overijssel have obesity?
Looking at the whole country, 15.6 percent of adults had obesity in 2024. That is the figure from the Health Monitor by Statistics Netherlands, the GGDs and RIVM, and it ranged between GGD regions from 11.6 up to 19.2 percent. For the places above, with around 795,775 inhabitants together, this means an indicative upper limit of approximately 124,000 people with obesity. The limit is on the high side because the percentage counts adults only and the inhabitant totals also contain children. For regional numbers, see vzinfo.nl.
Only a share of this group can have weight loss surgery. You qualify with a BMI of 40, or with a BMI of 35 plus a weight-related health problem like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea. Others might do better with a lifestyle programme, a gastric balloon or medication prescribed under supervision. Compare the options for treating obesity.
Getting weight loss surgery from Overijssel: step by step
- Make sure you are registered with a family doctor in your local municipality, because GPs control access to hospital care.
- Check your insurance: is Ziekenhuisgroep Twente contracted by your insurer, or another centre that suits you better?
- Sign up for an info session, which in many cases takes place online, and find out if it is also given in English.
- Assessment by a dietitian, a psychologist and an internist.
- Surgery and follow-up: you stay in hospital briefly and then have check-ups for five years or more. That is why the journey from where you live in Overijssel is important.
Choosing a centre as a resident of Overijssel
You are not obliged to go to the centre most people from your town use. Compare travel time for five years of aftercare, waiting times, your insurer's contracts and whether information is available in English. With one main centre serving this province, it is worth also checking centres in neighbouring provinces. Read more about choosing an obesity clinic and cost and insurance.
Useful Dutch terms for residents of Overijssel
Some Dutch terms explained. Huisarts, the GP who decides on access to hospital care. Basispakket, the basic insurance that weight loss surgery is covered by. Verwijzing, a referral letter, which you must have. Huisartsenpost, the GP service for evening and weekend urgent questions. Eigen risico, a mandatory excess of 385 euros (figure for 2026).
More in English
Sources
- Numbers per centre from DICA (DATO Annual Report 2024)
- CBS via AlleCijfers.nl and citypopulation.de: inhabitants
- RIVM, GGD and CBS, Gezondheidsmonitor 2024: share of people with obesity
Frequently asked questions
In this guide, places in Overijssel are served by 1 DATO-certified centre: Ziekenhuisgroep Twente. Most places fall under Ziekenhuisgroep Twente.
10 places, together about 795,775 inhabitants at municipal level. Each has a detailed page in Dutch.
Yes. With a correct indication plus a referral from the huisarts (GP), it falls under the Dutch basic package. What you pay yourself is the 385-euro mandatory deductible in 2026.
Across the Netherlands, 15.6 percent of adults live with obesity. For the places covered here, this works out at roughly 124,000 people at most, as an indication.
Yes, provided your health insurer pays for it. Think about how far you need to travel, since the aftercare runs for five years or more.
WeightWorks Clinics in Amersfoort, with 1,598 primary procedures in 2024 according to the DATO annual report.
Request a referral from the huisarts, your GP. Go for a bariatric centre your insurance company has a contract with this year, if possible.
Plenty of medical staff in the Netherlands, both doctors and nurses, speak English. Materials and group sessions, on the other hand, are often Dutch; ask the centre ahead of time.
Also available in Dutch. Author: Gijs Bodenstaff. Last reviewed: September 2026.