a two-year delay, while earlier bariatric surgery significantly reduced diabetes and hypertension management costs over a ten-year horizon.

A related review focusing on low- and middle-income countries, specifically Egypt, found that prolonged waiting times are associated with delayed return to work, increased caregiver burden, and greater societal costs, particularly in public healthcare systems with constrained capacity. Investment in early surgical intervention was shown to relieve pressure on health systems, improve population health,