Obesity is a major health problem with a prevalence that has tripled since 1976, affecting a large portion of the population across all ages. Bariatric surgery is currently considered as the most efficient and durable treatment in terms of weight loss and remission of long-term co-morbidities. The objective of this article is to describe briefly the different surgical options for patients with severe obesity and to report their effectiveness, as well as to provide primary care physicians with simple instructions, regarding initial management and the appropriate guidance of their patients to a specialized service.