Journal profile · Surgery
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases
ISSN 1550-7289 · eISSN 1878-7533 · Elsevier Inc. · UNITED STATES · Bimonthly · Founded 2005
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases: CAS Zone 2 · Medicine (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.04; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,800; median 107 days to acceptance (115 articles, last 24 months); 680 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases is published by Elsevier Inc. and is in Zone 2 of Medicine in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes, Body Contouring and Surgery and Gastric Cancer Management and Outcomes, together about 50.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Surgery. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD), The Official Journal of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), is an international journal devoted to the publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts of the highest quality with objective data regarding techniques for the treatment of severe obesity. Articles document the effects of surgically induced weight loss on obesity physiological, psychiatric and social co-morbidities. The Editorial Board includes internationally prominent individuals who are devoted to the optimal treatment of the severely obese and include internists, psychiatrists, surgeons, and nutritional experts.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Surgery
Editor-in-chief Raul RosenthalPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named United States 177, United Kingdom 11, France 9, Italy 7, Canada 5 (240 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Bariatric Surgery and OutcomesMedicine37.2%
- Body Contouring and SurgeryMedicine8.1%
- Gastric Cancer Management and OutcomesMedicine5.4%
- Esophageal and GI PathologyMedicine5.4%
- Obesity and Health PracticesHealth Professions5.3%
- Diet and metabolism studiesMedicine5.3%
- Cardiovascular Disease and AdiposityMedicine3.2%
- Enhanced Recovery After SurgeryMedicine3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Medicine Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Surgery | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Surgery | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Medicine Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Medicine | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Surgery | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.04LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3.2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.14LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.32LetPub ·
- h-index
- 75LetPub ·
- h-index
- 137OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,637OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.86OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 9.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 13.21%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 134LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 11,758 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 609 | 405 | 52 |
| 2025 | 680 | 475 | 252 |
| 2024 | 722 | 84 | 1,422 |
| 2023 | 575 | 69 | 1,465 |
| 2022 | 564 | 92 | 3,285 |
| 2021 | 362 | 78 | 3,337 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
107 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 20 days – 168 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 9 days (115 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 114 days
- Sample
- 115 articles with submission and acceptance dates (518 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- 4–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 16 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 62 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 100 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 14 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,800 / EUR 3,550 / GBP 3,040 / JPY 471,310 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted13
- asmbs guidelines/statementsASMBS Guidelines/Statements** Non-Structured 250 6000 0 Required at initial submission 75Length not stated
- editorialSOARD publishes the following types of articles in addition to standard research manuscripts:REVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers time…Length not stated
- integrated health articlesINTEGRATED HEALTH ARTICLES: A section for Integrated Health manuscripts will be published periodically during the year.Length not stated
- letterSOARD publishes the following types of articles in addition to standard research manuscripts:REVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers time…Length not stated
- letter to the editorLETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Short communications regarding recent articles or comments on timely topics in letter form that should be supported by relevant reference…Length not stated
- letters to the editorSOARD publishes the following types of articles in addition to standard research manuscripts:REVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers time…Length not stated
- original articlesOriginal Articles Structured 250 3000 6 Required at revision stage 30Length not stated
- paired editorialEDITORIALS/PAIRED EDITORIALS: These will be solicited by the Editor and should not be submitted without prior written approval.Length not stated
- reviewSOARD publishes the following types of articles in addition to standard research manuscripts:REVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers time…Length not stated
- review articleSOARD publishes the following types of articles in addition to standard research manuscripts:REVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers time…Length not stated
- review articlesREVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers timely bariatric surgery topics of clinical relevance and must be well-referenced.Length not stated
- short communicationSOARD publishes the following types of articles in addition to standard research manuscripts:REVIEW ARTICLES: This comprehensive review-type article covers time…Length not stated
- viewpointViewpoint None N/A 1200 2 Not Required 7Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship
By adhering to the authorship requirements stated above, authors meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria [updated version January 2024] on authorship.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Open access options available; referred to open access information page. Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Single anonymized review process; submissions initially assessed by editors; suitable submissions sent to a minimum of two reviewers; editors make the decision. Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharing allowed; does not count as prior publication. Model summary
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- Founded
- 2005
- ISSN
- 1550-7289
- Electronic ISSN
- 1878-7533
- Society / sponsor
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases
What CAS zone is Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases is in Zone 2 of Medicine, and in Zone 2 of the minor category Surgery. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Medicine. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.04; CiteScore 7, h-index 137.
How long does peer review take at Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases?
Based on the dates recorded on 115 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 107 days (interquartile range 20–168 days); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases based?
Of the 240 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (177), United Kingdom (11) and France (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases open access, and what is the APC?
Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,800.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .