A bariatric surgical treatment for obesity in which a Silastic belt encircles the proximal portion of the stomach, restricting the flow of food. The rest of the gastrointestinal tract is left unmodified. The belt initially permits the proximal stomach to hold just an ounce of food. The restriction gives patients a feeling of premature fullness after a small meal, which keeps them from overeating. It can be loosened after significant weight loss has occurred to permit slightly in creased food intake. Weight loss with gastric banding, which results purely from limitations on food intake, tends to be less than what can be achieved with surgery, e.g., Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, which also causes the body to fail to absorb nutrients. Relatively common complications of the banding procedure include nausea and vomiting, erosion of the band into the stomach, and wound infections. Some patients fail to lose weight by learning how to eat slowly but continuously, thus mitigating the effect of the banded restriction.