Who is Eligible?
Severe obesity is a complex medical disease affecting more than 4 million people in the United States. It is not related to lack of willpower, as studies show that diets, medications, behavior modification, or exercise programs have a 95% failure rate due to underlying physiologic, chemical, and genetic factors. Severely obese patients have a very high risk of associated health problems and early death; therefore, the National Institutes of Health has endorsed this surgery as effective in treating obesity.
Surgery is an option for patients 100 pounds overweight, or whose body mass index (BMI) is 40 or above, because of greatly increased risk of health problems associated with severe obesity.
One must be able to document that they have seriously tried to lose weight multiple times through conventional or medically controlled weight loss programs without lasting results. Many health insurance companies will cover this surgery if the person meets all of the requirements.
Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)
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Patients whose BMI is 35-40 may be candidates if they have associated medical conditions related to their obesity.
| Examples of obesity related health problems: |
High blood pressure
Diabetes mellitus
Sleep apnea
High lipids
High cholesterol
High triglycerides
Joint/back problems
Gastroesophageal reflux disease
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Respiratory failure
Infertility
Abnormal liver tests
Psychosocial dysfunction
Venous insufficiency
Heart failure
Blood clots |
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