Who is a Candidate?
What's your BMI?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common measure of obesity. Your BMI, especially when accompanied by one or more obesity-related conditions, is a key indicator of potential risk. You can calculate yours here.
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More than simply being overweight, you must be morbidly obese (50 to100 percent or more over your ideal body weight) to be considered a candidate for weight loss surgery. Patient selection for bariatric surgery is based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria:
- 100 pounds or more above ideal body weight or a BMI of 40 or greater
- BMI of 35 or greater with one or more obesity-related health conditions
Other factors your doctor may consider include:
- History of documented dietary weight loss attempts
- Lifelong commitment to dietary, exercise, and medical guidelines and follow-up care
- Psychological evaluation
If you are morbidly obese and are struggling with one or more obesity-related medical conditions, bariatric surgery could be right for you. If you are seriously considering bariatric surgery, your decision should be based on discussions between you and your family, your primary care physician and should consider the risks of surgery and your health goals.
If you'd like to learn more about bariatric surgery or The Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Lake Norman, please call 704.660.HLTH (4584).
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