According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) a candidate for weight loss surgery must meet these criteria:

• A gastric restrictive or bypass procedure should be considered only for well-informed and motivated patients with acceptable operative risks. The patient should be able to participate in treatment and long-term follow up.
• Patients whose BMI exceeds 40 are potential candidates for surgery if they strongly desire substantial weight loss, because obesity severely impairs the quality of their lives. They must clearly and realistically understand how their lives may change after operation.
• Patients with BMI's between 35 and 40 also may also be considered for surgery. Included in this category are patients with high-risk co-morbid conditions. Commonly accepted co-morbidities are Diabetes, High blood pressure/Heart disease, High blood cholesterol, Sleep apnea/respiratory problems, Gastro-esophageal reflux/Heartburn, Osteoarthritis of weight-bearing joints, Gallbladder disease, Menstrual irregularities, Infertility/Pregnancy complications, Urinary stress incontinence and Depression.

BMI stands for body mass index and is the ratio of your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. BMI is a relatively accurate way to determine if a person's weight poses a serious health risk. Please note, however, that the BMI calculator does not take into account muscle mass and should only be used by full-grown adults ages 20 to 65.

A BMI in the range of 19 to 25 is considered to be ideal. If your BMI signifies that you are Morbidly Obese (BMI of 40 or more) or Severely Obese (BMI of 35 to 39) with severe weight-related co-morbid conditions, then you might be candidate for bariatric surgery.

To calculate your BMI, please fill in the information below and click the "Find My BMI" button

BMI CALCULATOR   Height:   Feet Inches   Weight:  Lbs.     Your BMI:

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