Candidates For
Gastric Bypass Surgery
Gastric bypass
surgery is recommended for those persons who are 90 pounds or
more overweight and have or are likely to have medical
complications that will be helped, and in many instances, cured
by substantial weight loss. While weight loss surgery is not for
everyone, there are a large number of patients for whom losing a
lot of weight is imperative, including those suffering from
diabetes, high blood pressure, heart trouble, shortness of
breath, arthritis and orthopedic (bone) problems with their
legs, hips or back. Weight loss surgery actually fails in those
persons who drink large quantities of regular soft drinks,
consume sweets, ice cream, chips and fatty fried foods. If you
are one of these people and feel you cannot switch to diet
drinks and cut out sweets and fried foods then gastric bypass
surgery is not for you.
Determining Morbid Obesity
Physicians and healthcare professionals commonly use the 'Body
Mass Index' (BMI) as a way of helping to determine obesity. BMI
is a number calculated by dividing a person's weight in
kilograms by his or her height in square meters. Although a
patient's BMI cannot be used to determine actual percentage of
body fat or overall health condition, it is a means of
categorizing weight in terms of nationally recognized standards.
These standards — derived from years of research and data — are
based on the probability of whether or not a person will be
healthy or unhealthy as they age.
A Body
Mass Index (BMI) greater than 40 is by definition morbid
obesity. Lesser BMI may be morbid if associated by serious
co-morbidities.
Body Mass Index standards are:
-
BMI 18.5 to
24.9 Healthy
-
BMI 25 to 29.9
Overweight
-
BMI 30 to 39.9
Obese
-
BMI 40 to 49.9
Morbidly Obese
-
BMI 50 or
higher Super Obese
Answering the question "Am I Morbidly Obese?" may give you the
courage you need to take the first step towards weight loss
surgery. Below, we've included a BMI Calculator and an Ideal
Body Weight Chart you can use to determine if you are morbidly
obese. (However, BMI is only one of many factors we consider
when determining whether or not a patient is a good candidate
for weight loss surgery.) You may be a good candidate for
surgery if:
