IFSO MENAC Meeting | Manama, Bahrain

• Use first-person language: Authors should not use “obese” as an adjective or noun to describe an individual person or group of people but instead use terms such as “people with obesity” and “populations with obesity”.
• Use “severe obesity” (or reference BMI range or Class), never “morbid obesity”, “super-obesity”, or “extreme obesity”, and all derivations (morbidly, super-obese, etc.).
• Do not use words such as: “success/failure”, “recidivism”, “non-compliant”, “gold-standard”, “last-resort”.
• Avoid the term “weight-loss surgery”; instead, use “bariatric-metabolic surgery”.
• Imagery: do not use headless people, stereotypical/stigma = takeaway boxes, fast food, ill-fitting clothes, etc.

Old and not accepted per journal policy	New replacement nomenclature
Morbid obesity	Severe obesity
Obese/Diabetics	Patient or individual with obesity/ diabetes
Subject/s	Patient/s or individual/s
Weight loss surgery	Metabolic Bariatric Surgery (MBS)
Super Obesity, Super-Super Obesity, Extreme Obesity	Please indicate the BMI instead: BMI 30 <35kg/m2 Obesity I BMI 35 <40kg/m2 Obesity II BMI 40 <50kg/m2 Obesity III BMI 50 <60kg/m2 Obesity IV instead of “Super Obesity” BMI 60 <70kg/m2 Obesity V instead of “Super-Super Obesity”
Gold standard	Avoid using this term please
Revision procedure	‘Revision or modification’ for any procedure that does not encompass conversion to a new procedure with a new mechanism of action or reversal of the anatomy. Revision or modification encompasses correction or an enhancement of the same procedure (revision of a gastric pouch, distalization of gastric bypass)
Conversion procedure	‘Conversion’ entails converting one procedure to another with a different mechanism of action. Revision is not accepted as a substitution anymore
Reversal procedure	The term can still be used to describe reversing a procedure to the normal standard anatomy
Insufficient or inadequate weight loss	‘Suboptimal clinical response’ encompasses maximum total weight loss outcome (TWL%) <20%, while also covering no improvement or worsening of any obesity complication that was present preoperatively
Weight loss failure	Failure is not an acceptable term anymore. Use suboptimal clinical response if fits these criteria
Adequate weight loss	Optimal clinical response which follows the criteria of TWL% >20% and/or improvement of obesity complication/s
Success	This term is not acceptable anymore. Please use Optimal clinical response for primary procedures or optimal clinical response for other revision or conversion procedures
Restrictive or Malabsorptive procedures	These terms are not acceptable. Please describe procedures according to their anatomic features, bypass, diversion, etc.
Malabsorption/Hypoabsorption	Both are accepted, but it is essential to report: Micronutrients for minerals and elements versus Macronutrients for protein/fact or carbohydrates
Weight regain/ recurrence	Recurrent weight gain

Before you begin, please read the Abstract Submission Important Information and then prepare the following information:

• Presenting author’s contact details:
  • Full first and family name(s)
  • Email address
  • Affiliation details: department, institution / hospital, city-state (if relevant), Country
  • Phone number
• Author and co-authors’ details
• Presentation Preference: Oral Presentation / ePoster / Video

Abstract Content

All abstracts should be submitted and presented in clear English with accurate grammar and spelling of a quality suitable for publication. If you need help, please arrange for the review of your abstract by a colleague who is a native English speaker, by a university-specific publications office (or another similar facility), or by a copy editor prior to submission.

The author is responsible for the accuracy of the abstract.

• Abstract title – must be in UPPER CASE and limited to 20 words. Please submit symbols as words.
• Abstract text – limited to 350 words, including acknowledgments. (Please note: word count is affected when graphs/tables are included). Abstracts must contain original scientific data collected by the author(s). Do not include references in your abstract body.
• Abstract topic – select the abstract topic per the list of topics.
• Tables – a maximum of 2 tables can be incorporated and placed anywhere in the abstract.
• Images – The abstract can incorporate a maximum of 2 images. Each image’s maximum file size is 500 KB, and the graph/image’s maximum pixel size is 600(w) x 800(h) pixels. You may upload images in JPG, GIF, or PNG format. Note that images don’t affect the word count.
• Abstract Format – Abstracts need to be structured under the following sub-headings. The abstract should not repeat the title, authors and affiliations

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Video Submissions

The video should be prepared as follows:

• Videos must include verbal narration in English.
• Narration must use generic terms, and videos cannot contain any evidence of commercial support.
• Acceptable video format: .mp4
• Maximum length of the video: 5 minutes
• Maximum size of the video: 500 MB
• Videos must be uploaded in HD, in order to assure the best quality possible. The minimum dimensions accepted are 1280×720 (720p); 1920×1080 (1080p). We advise not to compress the file but leave it in the original format. Please do not exceed the maximum length of 60 FPS.
• Videos should be in a standardized format:
  • Video title
  • Disclosure
  • Clinical presentation and indication for surgery
  • Preoperative x-ray images/endoscopy/blood results
  • Operative procedure
  • Postoperative outcome
  • Conclusions
• Do not include the name(s) of the author(s) in the video to guarantee blinded review.
• Use only standard abbreviations. Special or unusual abbreviations should be placed in parentheses after the full word the first time they appear.
• Use generic names of drugs. If you have any commercial interests or associations that might pose a conflict of interest regarding the submission, they must be declared. If accepted for presentation, the commercial interest or association must be declared on the title slide or the slide immediately following the title slide.
• Submissions may not contain patient names, hospital ID numbers, or other identifying information.
• The submission form allows you to store your abstract as a draft until the deadline. If not submitted by the deadline, drafts will be deleted.
• Click the SUBMIT button at the end of the process to save your abstract. You may log in to the system later to make changes to your abstract up to the submission deadline. After the deadline, abstracts cannot be modified or corrected.
• After you submit your abstract, you will receive an abstract ID number via email. Please refer to this abstract number in all correspondence regarding the abstract.
• Please email us ifsomenac@wearemci.com if you have not received confirmation that your abstract has been submitted.
• Please do not submit multiple copies of the same abstract.

Submitted abstracts/cases should not have been published in any other journals and/or online publications nor presented at any previous international congress.

Submitting or presenting an already published work will lead to:

• Withdrawal of the presentation from the Scientific Sessions
• Prohibition of submitting abstracts to any IFSO Congress for one year

Submitted abstracts must report new information, not previously published, or presented at a national or international scientific meeting prior to the Congress. Abstracts previously presented at meetings will not be accepted unless there is a substantial update of data.

Identified duplicates will be retracted from all related IFSO publications and scientific sessions.

CONSENT AND RIGHTS

By submitting your work to IFSO 2026, you consent to have authors’ names, affiliations and biographical material used in connection with the publication of your work.

The content belongs to the author(s). However, if the abstract/case is accepted, the submitter agrees, on behalf of all co-authors, to transfer and assign to IFSO the rights to reformat, publish, reproduce, distribute and prepare derivative works such as press releases and/or educational products directly or with partners. This includes use in indexes or search databases in print, electronic, or other media.

All accepted abstracts will be published online in the Annual Meeting Supplement of Obesity Surgery.

Author(s) retain the right, after presentation at the Congress, to subsequently include the work in articles, books, or derivative works that he/she authors or edits, provided said use does not imply the endorsement of IFSO.

The submitter signs for all co-authors. They accept responsibility for the rules for submission and presentation on behalf of all co-authors.

The submitter also grants and assigns, to IFSO 2026 the rights to film, record, reproduce, reprint, and otherwise make use of the works, or any presentation of the works, in any media or format, and authorize IFSO 2026 to use name, likeness, photograph, and biographical data in connection with its use and promotion of the works in connection with education works related to the Congress.

Abstract Submitter’s Declaration

During abstract submission, you will be asked to confirm that you agree to the following:

1. I confirm that I previewed this abstract and that all information is correct. I accept that the content of this abstract cannot be modified or corrected after the final submission, and I am aware that it will be published exactly as it was submitted.
2. Submission of the abstract constitutes the consent of all authors to publication (e.g. Congress website, programs, other promotions, etc.)
3. The Abstract Submitter warrants and represents that no part of the information and content provided by him/her (Hereafter: the “Content“) to IFSO 2026 and Kenes International (Hereafter: the “Organizers“), nor the publication of any such Content by the Organizers, on the internet or otherwise infringes any third party rights, including but not limited to intellectual property rights.
4. The Abstract Submitter grants each of the Organizers the license and right to use, reproduce, publish, translate, distribute, and display the Content or any part thereof, in any manner and on any platform or media whatsoever, in each Organizer’s absolute discretion, on a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable nonexclusive basis.
5. I hereby confirm that the contact details saved in this system are those of the presenting author, who will be notified about the status of the abstract. The presenting author is responsible for informing the other authors about the status of the abstract. The submitting author may request to be copied on the abstract correspondence.
6. I understand that the presenting author must be a registered participant.
7. The Organizers reserve the right to remove an abstract that does not comply with the above from publication and/or presentation.
8. I understand that I must select a specific Theme, Topic, and/or Sub-Topic for my abstract allocation. Although the Committee will work hard to honor this selection, this cannot be guaranteed. The Committee reserves the right to change the Theme, Topic, or Sub-Topic under which the abstract was originally submitted.
9. I confirm to have received the consent of all authors for the processing of their contact details by Kenes and the Organizers.

WITHDRAWAL

Authors will be notified of acceptance/rejection of their abstracts by April 2026.

If an author so desires, they will have a week from the decision notification date to withdraw their abstract from the proceedings.

NO SHOW

Please inform the Congress Office if you are no longer able attend the Congress to present your abstract.

In case of a no-show, without written justification to ifsomenac@wearemci.com before the start of the Congress, the author will receive a suspension from participation in the next two IFSO Congresses.

The authors of the TOP PAPER ABSTRACT have to submit their full paper(s) to Obesity Surgery, the official Journal of IFSO, after the IFSO Congress in Santiago, and not later than 1st December 2026. All the other authors of accepted abstracts are strongly encouraged to submit their full papers to Obesity Surgery by 1st February 2027.

The manuscript will have to be submitted for publication following the guidelines of Obesity Surgery Journal..

There is no guarantee that the paper will be accepted for publication, as it will be peer reviewed as per the Journal standard process.

All the accepted abstracts will be published in an online supplement of Obesity Surgery Journal.

N.B.: In order to be evaluated as an IFSO abstract submission, please make sure to tick the appropriate box in the submission page on the Obesity Surgery platform.

Thank you very much for contributing to the growth of our Journal and of our Federation!

If the author wishes to submit the article to a different journal, they have to inform – in writing at the latest 4 weeks before the Congress – the Congress Office at ifsomenac@wearemci.com explaining why they are asking for an exception and giving evidence of the submission to the other journal, in order to be excused.

• The Editor-in-Chief of Obesity Surgery will decide on the exemption.
• If the paper is rejected from the other journal, it will have to be submitted to Obesity Surgery.

If you request a manuscript exemption, you will be asked to attest to the following:

“I am requesting an exemption from submitting my manuscript to Obesity Surgery because I believe this study would be more appropriate in a higher impact journal (name of the journal) or in a non-surgical journal with a broader impact on the medical community than if it were published in Obesity Surgery”