Author Guidelines

NOTICE: Bariatric Times ceased publication at the end of 2023 and is no longer accepting submissions.


Submission requirements for Bariatric Times are in accordance with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). See “Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals” at www.icmje.org.

EDITORIAL PURPOSE
Bariatric Times was a peer-reviewed journal that offered allied health professionals in bariatric care with new and detailed evidence-based information regarding bariatric total patient care, new clinical findings and surgical techniques, industry developments, and all relevant topics and insights that can be applied to the bariatric allied health professionals’ working lives. The journal provided practical information on a broad range of pertinent topics that is based on the latest research and is presented in a straightforward “how-to” fashion.

SCOPE OF MANUSCRIPTS

Manuscripts that meet our editorial purpose include, but are not limited to, concise articles on surgical technique; reports of preclinical and clinical research that expands existing knowledge; case studies and reports; in-depth reviews and reports on treatment, management, prevention, education, ethics, legal issues, reimbursement, and other relevant topics in bariatrics; and letters to the editor.

Obesity Medicine Fellow Corner. This column aims to highlight HCPs currently enrolled in an obesity medicine fellowship who are up and coming in the obesity medicine world, while giving a voice to younger authors looking to get published. The column can have any focus that the author is interested in as long as it ties to obesity/obesity medicine in some way. At least 10-20 references are recommended. Recommended length is 1,500-2,000 words, not including references.

The Viewpoint. This column is designed to bring a voice to nurse practitioners and physician assistants to hear their impact on the care for patients with obesity and those who undergo bariatric surgery. Topics highlighting the specific roles and contributions of NPs and PAs in bariatric surgery/obesity care will be considered for publication. At least 5-10 references are recommended. Recommended length is 1,000-1,500 words, not including references.

The Wise Provider. This column features stories from healthcare professionals who have had bariatric surgery. The column provides a unique perspective of people who know what it’s like to be on both sides and the journey they have experienced. Recommended length is 1,000-1,500 words, not including references.

Medical Student Notebook. This column explores the science behind obesity from the perspective of medical students. The column can have any focus the author is interested in as long as it relates to obesity/obesity medicine in some way. At least 10-20 references are recommended. Recommend length is 1,000-1,500 words, not including references.

Original Research. Reports of investigations that address questions about clinical care or expand existing knowledge. Manuscripts should include at least 10 references. Illustrative materials are recommended. Must include abstract. Recommended length is 2,000-4,000 words, not including references.

Review Articles. Comprehensive articles summarizing basic strategies to facilitate the physician’s approach to diagnosis and treatment and articles highlighting emerging diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. May also include in-depth reviews of clinical practice, management, reimbursement, educational, ethical, and legal issues. At least 10-30 references are recommended. Illustrative material is preferred. Must include abstract. Recommended length is 2,000-4,000 words, not including references.

Case Reports. Short presentations of actual cases that stimulate research and the exchange of information and illustrate the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of a disorder or surgical complication. At least 5 references are recommended. Illustrative material is preferred. Must include abstract. Recommended length is 1,000 to 2,000 words, not including references.

Brief Reports. Short reports of original studies or evaluations or unique, first-time reports of clinical case series. Must include abstract. At least 10 references are recommended. Recommended length is 1,000 to 1,500 words, not including references.

Commentaries. Essays that address important topics in bariatrics and generally are not linked to a specific article. Commentaries should be well focused, scholarly, and clearly presented. At least 10 references are recommended. Recommended length is 1,000 to 1,500 words.

Letters to the Editor. Opinions on cases or articles published in Bariatric Times, opinions on other current topics, or short reports of clinical interest. Please indicate whether the letter is intended for publication. Text should not exceed 600 words, with no more than five references. Letters should be received within two months of the article’s publication and may be sent to the original author for reply. The editor reserves the right to edit the material for style, clarity, and size.

 

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION

Cover Letter. Manuscripts should be submitted with a cover letter indicating the article type. The cover letter should give details on any previous or duplicate publication of any of the content and should state that the paper is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. In the cover letter, authors should disclose any potential financial conflicts of interest relevant to the submitted manuscript/clarify that they have no potential conflicts of interest. Authors should disclose whether they received funding for their article or not. For Letters to the Editor, please indicate whether the letter is intended for publication.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures. All authors should disclose any potential financial conflicts of interest relevant to the submitted manuscript in the cover letter of the submitted manuscript.

Author Forms. Upon acceptance, authors will be asked to complete and return an author form, which requires corresponding author information, authorship statement, copyright transfer, and financial disclosure. If the manuscript is accepted and published in Bariatric Times, authors must transfer copyright to Matrix Medical Communications.

Registration of Clinical Trials. As recommended by the ICMJE, Bariatric Times requires as a condition of consideration for publication, registration of all clinical trials in a public trials registry that requires the minimum registration data set as determined by the ICMJE (visit http://www.icmje.org/index.html#clin_trials for guidelines). Please include the trial registry name, registration number, and the URL for the registry in the abstract.

Inclusion of Previously Published Materials. Any material submitted to Bariatric Times that is reproduced from previously published copyrighted material must be accompanied by a letter of permission from the copyright holder. All such material should include a full credit line (e.g., in the figure or table legend) acknowledging the original source. The author is responsible for obtaining the permission and is responsible for any associated fees.

 

MANUSCRIPT PREPARATION

Title Page. The title page should contain the following elements: title; author names, degrees, and institutional affiliations; sources of financial support; name of corresponding author with their complete contact information (mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, email address); and word count (text only).

Spacing and Pagination. The manuscript should be typed using double spacing throughout. Do not use a running head. Pages should be numbered beginning with the title page. Manuscripts should NOT contain any automatic formatting, except for the page number at the top right corner of each page.

Abstract. Include a structured abstract with all articles, except letters to the editors. Abstracts should be limited to 250 words and may be organized into the following categories: Objective, Methods, Results, Conclusion. Abstracts of clinical trials must include trial registry information (registry name, registration number, and URL for the registry).

Keywords. Include all relevant keywords following the abstract.

Abbreviations/Acronyms. All abbreviations and acronyms should be spelled out at first mention.

People-first language. Bariatric Times always makes use of people-first language to do its part to eliminate weight bias. Please make sure to remove all instances of weight bias in your writing prior to submission (ex: “person with obesity” should be used instead of “obese person”). The Obesity Action Coalition outlines some guidelines, which can be viewed here.

References. Citation accuracy is the responsibility of the author. Requirements are in accordance with the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals (see www.icmje.org for more information). References must be cited in text in numerical order and must appear as a complete list at the end of the manuscript. (See Uniform Requirements.) Do not superscript reference numbers in the text; place the numbers at the end of the corresponding sentences or paragraphs between brackets. Abbreviate names of journals according to Index Medicus style. Book references should include the author(s), editor(s), title, edition number, publisher and city, copyright date, volume, and specific page numbers for quoted material.

The sequence for a journal article should be: authors (up to four; for five or more authors, list the first three, followed by et al), title of paper, journal name abbreviated as in the Index Medicus, year of publication, volume number, issue number and first and last page numbers. Example:

  1. Stark D, Kiely M, Smith A, et al. Anxiety disorders in cancer patients: their nature, associations, and relation to quality of life. J Clin Oncol. 2002;20:3137–3148.

The sequence for chapters of a book should be: author(s), chapter title, editors, book title, edition, place of publication, publisher, year, page numbers. Example:

  1. Holland JC, Gooen-Piels J. Principles of psycho-oncology. In: Holland JC, Frei E (eds). Cancer Medicine, Fifth Edition. Hamilton (Ontario): Decker;2000:943–958.

The sequence for conference proceedings is:

  1. Heller T. Promoting healthy aging and community inclusion of adults with developmental disabilities. Presented at the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed; 2003 Oct 24; Chicago.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the list contains all references cited in the text, in order, accurately.

Tables and Figures. All illustrative material must be numbered consecutively according to citation in text. All tables should have a title, and all figures should have a caption. If a figure or table has been previously published, the complete reference information must be cited, and written permission from the publisher to reproduce must be submitted with the material. Obtaining permission (and any associated fees) to include previously published materials in a Bariatric Times submission is the responsibility of the author. Photographic illustrations may be submitted as color or black-and-white electronic .jpg or .tif files (min. 300 dpi). Other types of illustrations (e.g., drawings, graphs, charts) must be professionally executed and also submitted electronically. Symbols and abbreviations should be defined/spelled out. For black-and-white or color photographs, the required resolution is at least 300 dpi. For line drawings, the resolution must be at least 600 dpi.

 

EDITORIAL PROCESS

Peer Review. All submissions undergo a double-blind, peer-review process to ensure that the material is clinically relevant and concise. Strict confidentiality regarding the submitted manuscript is maintained. Based on the reviewers/editors’ comments, manuscripts may be accepted, rejected, or recommended for revision. Reviewers’ comments that are considered constructive will be shared with the author.

Editing and Page Proofs. Articles accepted for publication will be edited for consistency of style, clarity, and correct grammatical construction. Page proofs will be sent to the author prior to publication for approval and may contain author queries that will need to be addressed. The author is responsible for all changes in the manuscript, including those of the copy editor.

Indexing. Bariatric Times is indexed CINAHL® Plus with Full Text.

MANUSCRIPT CHECKLIST

  • Original manuscript (double-spaced)
  • Cover letter affirming the manuscript’s originality and stating any financial disclosures
  • Corresponding author’s name, address, phone number, fax number, and e-mail address on the title page
  • References cited in consecutive order in text and conformed to Uniform Requirements style
  • Black and white or color figures supplied as electronic .jpg or .tif files with a minimum 300dpi
  • Professionally executed drawings, algorithms, graphs, charts, etc, with all symbols and abbreviation/ acronyms defined and supplied as electronic .jpg or .tif files with a minimum 300dpi
  • Copies of permission letters to reproduce previously published and unpublished material.