EnteroMedics has positioned its technology as an alternative to bariatric surgery. The company's treatment will cost in the low to mid $20,000 range, compared to the upper $20,000 range for surgery, Knudson said. He said the device also is safer than surgery, which should appeal to insurance companies. The company is now in discussions with insurers about covering Maestro.

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Global Obesity Epidemic

Obesity is a disease that has been increasing at an alarming rate with significant medical repercussions and associated economic costs. Currently, as many as 500 million people worldwide are estimated to be obese and 1.5 billion adults are estimated to be overweight, according to the World Health Organization. At least 2.8 million adults die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Many people with obesity also have severe and complex problems related to their disease, including metabolic and cardiovascular co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Forty four percent of the diabetes burden, 23 percent of the heart disease burden and between 7 percent and 41 percent of certain cancer burdens are attributable to overweight and obesity.